Category: Washington
Conservatives pressing attack on working families
Public transportation funding, transportation jobs, workplace safety, Railroad Retirement and Medicare are under a mean-spirited and sustained attack by congressional conservatives who are trying to muscle their agenda through Congress prior to the November elections. The UTU [...]
What part of ‘no’ can’t railroads understand?
Sadly, there is a part of “no” that railroads just can’t understand. So, once again, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has hit a railroad in the wallet for violating an employee’s rights as protected under the Federal Railroad Safe [...]Senate transport bill only a first step
WASHINGTON – A two-year blueprint for transportation spending has emerged from the Senate, but House action still is required before a bill is ready for President Obama’s signature into law. Notwithstanding the headlines, the Senate’s passage of the two-year S. 1813, “Moving [...]
Metrolink leading way installing PTC
Positive train control (PTC) is modern technology to reduce train accidents, save lives and limbs, improve on-time performance and produce revenue-enhancing business benefits for railroads. PTC utilizes the satellite global positioning system (GPS), wireless communications an [...]FRA interprets hours-of-service laws
WASHINGTON – In a Feb. 29, 2012, Federal Register notice, the Federal Railroad Administration provides its interpretation of hours-of-service laws “arising out of some of the complex and important amendments enacted in 2008 to the Federal railroad safety laws that govern such [...]OSHA elevates whistleblower priority
WASHINGTON – Whistleblower protection administered by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been elevated in agency priority, with the program now administered directly by OSHA’s assistant secretary of labor. The Department of Labo [...]Rep. Bucshon: Tear down that bill
A daily fact of life for train crews is transportation to and from terminals in shuttle-vans operated by firms under contract to railroads. Over the past year, four crew members died and another was seriously injured in two separate accidents while riding in shuttle vans. Shu [...]
FAA proposes raising pilot qualification standards
WASHINGTON – Qualification requirements for first officers who fly for U.S. passenger and cargo airlines would be “substantially” raised under a proposed Federal Aviation Administration new rulemaking to be published in the Federal Register Feb. 29. The agency, in a notice of [...]