Category: Transportation
Two-person crew rule’s comment period receives extension
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced Sept. 22 that the public comment period for the two-person crew size Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) has been extended. Stakeholders now have an additional 60 days to show their support for the minimum crew size of two [...]
TD Local 653 legislative representative receives Chicago labor award
SMART-TD Local 653 (Chicago) is proud to announce the recognition of Legislative Representative Orlando Rojas as the winner of the 2022 Charlie Hayes Award for his work in the greater Chicago labor community. This award is given by an organization known as Chicago Jobs With J [...]
RRB announces retiree earnings limits will increasse in 2023
Railroad Retirement annuitants subject to earnings restrictions can earn more in 2023 without having their benefits reduced due to increased limits indexed to average national wage increases. Like Social Security benefits, some Railroad Retirement benefit payments are subject [...]
Chemical shipper CEO speaks truth about carriers’ treatment of workers
The CEO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors seems to understand how to fix the railroads better than the carriers do. Supply Chain Dive published an opinion article Oct. 17 by Eric R. Byer, who leads the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD), i [...]
N.J. designates Oct. 15 as annual Railroad Workers Day
In a rare acknowledgment of the value railroaders bring to the table, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has named October 15 as “Railroad Workers Day”. Gov. Murphy went on the record saying, “Through extreme weather events and a global pandemic, our state’s railroad workers hav [...]Railroad Retirement benefits to see rise in 2023
Most Railroad Retirement annuities, like Social Security benefits, will increase in January 2023 due to a rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of 2021 to the corresponding period of the current year. Cost-of-living increases are calculated in both the [...]
TD Tacoma RTS gets final extension; one-day registration added
The deadline for the booking discount for the SMART Transportation Division Tacoma Regional Training Seminar (RTS) has been extended one final time to 5 p.m. Pacific, Wednesday Oct. 19. For SMART-TD members and officers planning to attend the event Oct. 24 to 27 at the Murano [...]
From President Ferguson: Please stay vigilant as carriers cut corners on training
Brothers and Sisters, It’s no secret that Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has devastated this industry. And it’s no secret that safety and service have suffered, but now the most vulnerable among us are being threatened. In the carriers’ pursuit to remove themselves fro [...]