Transportation News

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Local Chairperson Todd Larson dies

LCA Illinois Central Local Chairperson Todd W. Larson, 49, lost his battle with cancer on July 12. A member of Local 1299 in Chicago since March 2008, Larson held various positions with the local including local legislative representative and local alternate legislative repre [...]

TD-friendly legislators honored in Washington

SEATTLE — SMART Transportation Division’s Washington State Legislative Board, represented by Legislative Director Herb Krohn, gave awards to a number of state legislators supportive of the union’s safety efforts at July’s regional meeting. Receiving Golden Spike Awards [...]

FAA refuses to regulate seat size and legroom on planes

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was ordered by a judge in 2017 to address the issue of airlines shrinking the sizes of seats and legroom in order to add more seating on planes. The FAA has responded by ruling that seat shrinkage does not affect passenger safety and [...]

President Previsich announces date, site for 2019 TD Regional Meeting

SEATTLE — SMART Transportation Division President John Previsich announced July 4, on the final day of the TD Regional Meeting in Seattle, the location of the 2019 regional meeting. The Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, host to the 2014 SMART TD convention, will h [...]

SMART TD Regional, Day 3: President Previsich answers member questions

SEATTLE — SMART Transportation Division President John Previsich answered questions from members about the Janus decision, upcoming 2019 national rail labor contract negotiations and discussed new technological initiatives. The Janus decision affects a handful of proper [...]

Big Blue Bus driver touted as hero, honored with award

Big Blue Bus (BBB) operator and SMART TD member Rochelle Beamon (Local 1785) has been honored by Santa Monica, California’s city manager with the city’s “Elaine” award. Beamon has been labeled a hero after she managed to miss hitting a man on an electr [...]