Transportation News

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Tribute to late John Denver takes ‘country boy’ home

For conductor and Norfolk Southern GO 680 Vice General Chairperson Robert C. “Bubba” Chandler III, the rhythm of the rails is in his bones. Long before he began riding the rails, the rhythm of the music was in his soul. A self-taught six-string guitar picker for more than 35 [...]

School bus driver killed during safety drill

CLEVELAND – An Ohio school bus driver is being hailed as a hero after tossing a child out of the way of a rolling bus Tuesday morning before the vehicle rolled over the driver herself and she was killed. “She sacrificed her own life to save the life of this 10-year-old [...]

APTA: 2/3 want increased public transit funding

WASHINGTON – As Congress gets into full swing after the August recess, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a survey Sept. 15 that shows the numbers of Americans that support increasing federal public transportation investment grew to nearly 68 perce [...]

House bill would cut Amtrak funding

The House is proposing a 40 percent funding cut for new Amtrak construction in a new passenger rail bill that was unveiled on Thursday by the chamber’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Amtrak has received about $1 billion per year from the federal government since [...]

SMART Supports Senate Two-person Crew Provision

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced railroad safety legislation Sept. 10 that continues dialogue on the nation’s rail safety laws. S. 2784, the Rail Safe [...]

SMART TD supports Senate rail crew provision

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced railroad safety legislation Sept. 10 that continues dialogue on the nation’s rail safety laws. S. 2784, the Rail Safe [...]

Senators propose Rail Safety Improvement Act, 2014

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Sept. 10 announced a comprehensive overhaul of rail safety laws and protocols to enforce and enhance safety and reliability following a series of high profile rail catastrophes in New York, Con [...]

Senators move to strengthen STB

A bipartisan pair of senators is planning to introduce legislation to beef up the panel of federal regulators that is supposed to oversee operations on the nation’s freight and passenger railways. The panel, the Department of Transportation’s Surface Transportation Boar [...]

SMART needs your photos for Alumni calendar

The SMART?Transportation Division is seeking quality railroad, bus and airline photos, taken by its members, for placement in its annual calendar and other uses. The calendar is mailed annually to members of the UTU?Alumni Association as one of the benefits of Alumni Associat [...]

12th annual rail reunion and retirement dinner info

Local 240 Chairperson Harry Garvin Jr. reports that the 12th annual rail reunion and retirement dinner for employees of UP, SP, Pacific Electric, Metrolink, Amtrak and AT&SF (Locals 32, 240, 1422, 1770, 1813 and 1846) will be held Nov. 7, from 3-9 p.m., at Sierra Lakes Go [...]