SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson is scheduled to be a featured witness testifying next week in a hearing before the U.S. House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.

SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson

The hearing on freight rail safety is scheduled 10 a.m. June 14 at the 2167 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington D.C.

“I have great anticipation to again proudly represent the members of SMART Transportation Division and to state the truth about what rail labor is encountering, as we did before the Surface Transportation Board,” President Ferguson said. “The profiteering and safety-averse business operations carriers have adopted since starting Precision Scheduled Railroading have not improved service, safety or conditions for workers. In fact, all three of these areas have deteriorated. I look forward to addressing the representatives, giving specific examples of what is happening on the ground and stating the truth before the subcommittee.”

President Ferguson will have five minutes allocated to deliver testimony and then will answer any questions to him posed by subcommittee members.

FRA Administrator Amit Bose is also expected to testify on rail safety-related topics including train length, inspection procedures and other areas.

The session will be available to stream on the U.S. House website and links will be posted on our social media accounts for members to follow the hearing live.

Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Chicago, is poised to become the highest-ranking Democrat on a House subcommittee on railroads at a time when issues involving Metra and Amtrak will be barreling down the track next year.

His Southwest Side turf has more rail lines than any congressional district in the country, or so he claims. “No one has disputed that,” Lipinski said. “It’s just critically important to this area.” His father and predecessor as congressman, William Lipinski, also served as the senior Democrat on the rail panel.

Read the complete story at Crain’s Chicago Business.