WASHINGTON — Revisions to locomotive certification rules (49 CFR Part 240), effective Feb. 22, 2010, were issued by the Federal Railroad Administration Dec. 23, 2009. Among the revisions: Prohibits the practice of re-classiyfing any type of engineer’s certification to a more restrictive class or certificate while the certification is otherwise valid. Requires each railroad to […]
By Richard DeiserVice president and director, Bus Dept. One of the most important issues facing the motor carrier industry is distracted driving. Safe driving requires total concentration — not just on our own part, as we must also worry about other drivers not paying attention to what they are doing. In fact, distraction can occur […]
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 made the first significant amendments to hours-of-service laws in nearly 40 years. In response, the FRA issued an interim statement of agency policy and interpretation, which poses significant problems for train- and engine-service employees with regard to employee safety and earnings. The UTU and the BLET now have […]
By UTU International President Mike Futhey We are a union on the move, growing stronger financially and adding new members through aggressive organizing. In addition to organizing 300 pilots and flight attendants at Great Lakes Airlines recently, we have authorization cards from a majority of the 110 pilots at Lynx Aviation. We are talking with […]
In a joint submission aimed at improving safety and the security of member paychecks, the UTU and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have asked the Federal Railroad Administration to clarify and simplify its interim policies relating to, and interpretations of, the Rail Safety Improvement Act’s changes to hours-of-service limitations that went into effect July […]
The nation’s major railroads have asked a federal court to permit them to violate existing collective bargaining agreements with the UTU and the BLET when the railroads implement new hours-of-service regulations that take effect July 16. The soon-to-be-implemented hours-of-service limitations are directed by Congress in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA), whose intent is to reduce train-crew […]
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 provides that no later than April 2010, the FRA must conduct a rulemaking to determine the principles, elements and methods of conductor certification. The FRA says it is now prepared to move forward on that rulemaking with the assistance of a Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) working group […]
The UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen filed on Nov. 14 a joint petition for review by the Federal Railroad Administration of the FRA’s so-called emergency cell phone order, requesting that the FRA make additional exceptions to the order in the name of safety. The ban, effective Oct. 27, applies to any […]
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