Transportation News

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Thousands turn out for LIRR labor rally

On Saturday June 21, more than 3,000 unionized Long Island Rail Road workers and their supporters rallied for a new contract Saturday, June 21, demonstrating their resolve in achieving the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board 245. Union officials from a variety of [...]

LIRR union negotiations end abruptly Friday

A hostile bargaining session between the MTA and Long Island Rail Road labor leaders broke off in less than two hours early Friday with no deal in place and union officials saying a July 20 strike is more likely than ever. “Here we go,” Christopher Natale, general [...]

8,000 medical examiners added to FMCSA list

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) June 27 announced that 8,000 more health professionals have been added to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) since the new system for USDOT medical examinatio [...]

Charlotte commuter train price jumps by $215M

The Charlotte Area Transit System projects that building a commuter train to Lake Norman would cost $215 million more than expected – a price hike that will likely make it too costly to build. CATS had long planned to use Norfolk Southern freight tracks that parallel Intersta [...]

Great Lakes reports losses

Great Lakes Airlines, the sole commercial carrier servicing Cortez, soars across blue skies in the red. Servicing 30 airports across nine states, the Cheyenne-based regional airline reported a total net loss of more than $4.2 million at the close of the first quarter this yea [...]

TD's June paper to be published after convention

The June 2014 issue of the SMART Transportation Division News will be published following the proceedings of the First SMART Transportation Division Convention June 30-July 2. Publishing the newspaper after the convention will allow the Transportation Division to provide its [...]

LIRR unions may skip talks after MTA leaks details

The MTA’s decision to publicize its newest contract offer to LIRR workers — who are threatening a strike next month — has union leaders considering whether to ditch a new round of negotiations set for Friday. Anthony Simon, a spokesman for a coalition of Long Island Rail Road [...]

Former RYA President Arch T. Otto dies

Arch “Tom” Otto, 91, former national president of the Railroad Yardmasters of America from 1971 to 1985, passed away Feb. 23, 2014. Otto was born Aug. 24, 1922, in Wheeling, W.Va., graduated from Wheeling High School and attended Bethany College. A member of SMART Transportat [...]

Supreme Court to hear Amtrak dispute

The Supreme Court said June 23 it will consider whether Amtrak can partner with a government agency to create rules that other private railroads must follow. The justices agreed to hear the Obama administration’s appeal of a lower court ruling that said Congress unconst [...]

Year begins July 1 for RRB unemployment benefits

A new benefit year under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act begins July 1, 2014. The maximum daily benefit rate payable for claims under this Act increases to $70 in the new benefit year. Benefits are normally paid for the number of days of unemployment or sickness over [...]