Transportation News

Visit the digital archive of the SMART-TD News (PDFs)

SMART TD submits comments to PHMSA regarding rail transportation of LNG

On August 8, SMART Transportation Division submitted comments to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regarding the proposal of transporting liquid natural gas (LNG) by rail. In our comments, National Legislative Director John Risch recognizes th [...]

Local officers: Deadline to order timebooks is Sept. 16

In order to alleviate significant expense and wasteful distribution of timebooks, all locals must complete a timebook order form for the year 2020 and return it to the SMART TD office by Monday, Sept. 16, 2019. It’s important that the form is completed by a local officer, eve [...]

New officers chosen at Second TD Convention

LAS VEGAS – SMART GEC Member and Transportation Division (TD) Vice President Jeremy R. Ferguson of Local 313 (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was elected President – Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, shor [...]

RRB appoints director of programs

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has named Crystal Coleman as its director of programs. As a result, Ms. Coleman will be responsible for overseeing all operations to process and pay benefits administered by the agency. She will also be a member of the RRB’s executive [...]

Application deadline extended for pair of FRA vacancies

The deadline has been extended for interested applicants to submit materials to fill two open high-level Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety positions: Director, Office of Safety Analysis and Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety. With the addition of a [...]

Updated books spell out federal laws for rail and bus members

The safety coordinator to the SMART Transportation Division Designated Legal Counsel has updated a pair of publications that offer comprehensive surveys of federal laws that cover TD members who work in the rail industry and who work as bus operators. “What Every Railro [...]

CATS bus driver expected to recover after being shot multiple times

A SMART TD member who drives for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) was shot multiple times on Monday afternoon at the Charlotte Transportation Center uptown and was hospitalized, according to WSOC-TV Channel 9 in Charlotte, N.C. Police told WSOC that the suspect in the [...]

RRB: unemployment and sickness benefits for railroad employees

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, which provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroaders: unemployment benefits for those who become unemployed but are ready, willing and able to work; and sickness benefits for th [...]

RR Medicare: the transition to new numbers ends December 31

Last July, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) mailed approximately 450,000 new Railroad Medicare cards with new Medicare Numbers. The new Medicare Numbers, which are unique to each person with Railroad Medicare and do not contain Social Security Number (SSNs), replace the fo [...]