Category: Amtrak/Commuter News
FRA roundup – several actions published in Federal Register
Over the past 1.5 weeks, the Federal Railroad Administration has published several notices in the Federal Register. Below are portions of those postings, including: Drug and alcohol testing: Determination of minimum random testing rates for 2021 (notification of determination [...]
SMART-TD leadership warns of FRA’s new brake rule, urges caution
December 18, 2020 Brothers and Sisters: As we find ourselves amid what is historically the most dangerous season of the year, I must unfortunately caution you of new additional intensified dangers borne from the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) most recen [...]
FTA announces 2021 drug and alcohol testing rates
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) posted its 2021 drug and alcohol testing rates in the Federal Register Nov. 24. According to the notice, the minimum random drug testing rate will remain at 50%, while the random alcohol testing rate will remain at 10% for the year. Th [...]
Amtrak repeats call for funding aid as it releases fiscal results
In its preliminary financial report, Amtrak said that the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced ridership on the national passenger carrier by about 75% from pre-COVID levels. While Amtrak leadership expects a slow rebound in ridership, with forecasts seeing an increase to about 40% [...]
Bipartisan bill introduced to end sequestration cuts to railroad unemployment benefits
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced S. 4860, the Railroad Employee Equality and Fairness Act or the REEF Act, which would end the sequester on the Railroad Retirement Board’s (RRB) Unemployment Insurance Account. Due to the B [...]
PSR, Amtrak funding discussed before U.S. Senate committee
Amtrak’s financial situation and the freight rail industry’s continued use of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) practices were the focus of a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing Oct. 21. Amtrak President and CEO William Flynn repeated his plea for almost $5 [...]
Showing their pride as election approaches
SMART members are sending in their photos showing their support for Joe Biden, the presidential candidate who has been endorsed by your union. To submit your photos in support of candidates endorsed by SMART, email news_TD@smart-union.org. To get involved, text SMART Army to [...]