Category: Transportation
House Appropriations Committee releases details of 2018 transportation funding bill
On July 10, the House Appropriations Committee released the fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill, which includes funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other related agenci [...]
RRB: Unemployment and sickness benefits for railroad employees
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, which provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroaders: unemployment benefits for those who become unemployed but are ready, willing and able to work; and sickness benefits for th [...]
Grupo Mexico acquires Florida East Coast Railway
On July 7, Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. announced that its Grupo Mexico Transportes S.A. de C.V. unit (GMXT) completed its procurement of Florida East Coast Holdings Corp., parent company of Florida East Coast Railway (FECR). The acquisition had approvals from the Committee on [...]
N.Y. Reps. Suozzi and King address SMART TD
On Monday, July 10, 2017, U.S. Congressmen from the State of New York, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D) and Rep. Peter King (R), addressed SMART TD members and officers at the Eastern Regional Meeting in New York City, Suozzi at the morning opening session and King at the lunch reception. [...]
National negotiations update: Coordinated Bargaining Group Unions say contract negotiations take a “step backwards”
For immediate release July 7, 2017 As part of our ongoing effort to conclude national contract negotiations, the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) met with the nation’s freight rail Carriers (NCCC) for three days during the week of June 26th. These efforts were part of our o [...]
Airlines and Republicans place profit over safety; seek to cut pilot in-flight training hours
On July 6, 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported that regional airlines are working to reduce pilot in-flight training hours from the 1,500-hour requirement, through a provision that could be attached to the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill. A [...]
Trump persists in ending long-distance Amtrak train service
Instead of working to upgrade long-distance transportation services, and ignoring his promise to invest in American infrastructure, Trump is working to end long-distance train travel. According to an article posted on July 3, 2017, in the San Francisco Chronicle, if TrumpR [...]
SMART TD voices concerns about accuracy of FRA’s proposed locomotive simulation studies
On June 30, SMART TD’s legislative office submitted comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Information Collection Request regarding two FRA research studies on locomotive technology and automation. SMART TD urged the FRA to consider the critical factors o [...]