News Archive
Lesson 1 from Day 1 of NTSB hearing: East Palestine response shows there’s room for improvement
During the first day of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing on Norfolk Southern’s East Palestine, Ohio, derailment that happened Feb. 3, the importance of sharing information and communications in the wake of a rail disaster was brought into clear focus. F [...]
STB decision orders BNSF to haul Powder River coal
By a 3-2 majority June 23, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) ruled in favor of Navajo Transitional Energy Co. (NTEC), ordering BNSF to fulfill its common-carrier obligation to serve the Powder River Basin energy producer and transport 4.2 million tons of coal. NTEC filed [...]
From the ballast: On-the-job incidents can bring about PTSD
If you find yourself in a crisis situation, the SMART Members Assistance Program (MAP) is available to help. Please call 877-884-6227 for free and confidential assistance. Your employer also may have an in-house employee assistance program (EAP) available. Tuesday, June 27, 2 [...]
Open enrollment has begun for SMART-TD bus, rail VLTD plans
The SMART Transportation Division is excited to announce the first open enrollment period has begun for SMART-TD’s Voluntary Long-Term Disability (VLTD) and Voluntary Group Life (VLIFE) plans for bus and railroad members. For railroad members, the plans are designed to [...]
FRA deems NS’s new hire training program ‘unacceptable,’ mandates fix in 45 days
Norfolk Southern is and has been hiring new freight conductors at a noteworthy rate in 2023. As the labor organization that represents newly hired conductors, that is great news to the SMART Transportation Division. But like most pieces of good news that come from the railroa [...]
AFL-CIO TTD unions reaffirm rail labor’s support for STB chair
On June 13, Greg Regan, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), of which the SMART Transportation Division is a member, sent a letter to President Joe Biden regarding recent attacks on Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin Oberman. The text of [...]
It’s a step ahead for Pa. rail safety bill
H.B. 1028 addresses minimum crew size, blocked crossings and train lengths Earlier this week on June 5, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a comprehensive railroad safety bill, H.B. 1028, by a 141-62 tally. The bill will now move on to the state Senate, where th [...]
TD leadership participates in NS Bellevue safety event
Norfolk Southern hosted a system-wide safety town hall meeting June 1 in the middle of the largest yard in their system in Bellevue, Ohio. Carrier CEO Alan Shaw was joined on stage by the presidents from six of the 12 rail labor unions, including SMART Transportation Division [...]