On Nov. 13, 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule that, among other items, expands DOT’s current drug testing panel to include certain semi-synthetic opioids (i.e., hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone). Testing for methylened [...]
After derailments, blocked crossings and other complications, two members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure have asked for the federal Government Accountability Office to study the effects of longer freight trains. In the let [...]
SMART TD opposes the recent nomination of former U.S. Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland of Georgia by the Trump administration to serve on the Board of Directors of Amtrak. As a longtime member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and H [...]
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Transportation Division National Legislative Director John Risch appeared this morning (Wednesday, Oct. 11) before the Surface Transportation Board (STB) at a listening session about service disruptions caused by CSX’s [...]
Independence, Ohio, October 5 — Rail Unions making up the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) announced today that they have reached a Tentative National Agreement with the Nation’s Freight Rail Carriers. The CBG is comprised of six unions: the American Train Dispatchers Assoc [...]
Surface Transportation Board (STB) Vice Chairman Daniel R. Elliott III announced he will leave the Board September 30, 2017. He informed President Donald J. Trump of his plans by letter. Vice Chairman Elliott was appointed Chairman by President Barack Obama and joined the Boa [...]
In comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), SMART TD’s National Legislative Director John Risch wrote in support of allowing train crews to sound train horns at their discretion when traveling through rural America. The comments were written in response to [...]
Canada is formally demanding, in talks on a new NAFTA agreement, that any such pact force the U.S. to eliminate so-called right-to-work laws. During the 2016 U.S. campaign, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump labeled NAFTA “the worst trade pact ever signed” and vowed to dum [...]
NJ.com reports that despite legislation requiring strengthened security procedures for railroads having passed a decade ago, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has yet to put any new security measures in place. Both the House Homeland Security Committee and the [...]
In a 128-293 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives voted Sept. 6 to reject an amendment introduced by Rep. Mo Brooks (R – Ala.) to eliminate $1.1 billion of federal subsidies for Amtrak for 2018. Click here to read more from Railway Age.