By Assistant President John Previsich We all know that drug and alcohol use can have a negative impact on users, fellow employees and the transportation industry. That said, it must be emphasized that SMART members are to be commended for setting a compliance standard that pl [...]
Amtrak Board Chairman Tom Carper has won endorsement from Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) for renomination by President Obama. That nomination would require Senate confirmation. Carper, a former mayor of McComb, Ill., has served on the Amtrak board since March 200 [...]
PAULSBORO, N.J. — A signal problem and/or a bridge-locking defect may have been contributing factors in a Conrail bridge collapse and CSX train derailment here Nov. 30. Paulsboro is some 20 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Some 12,500 gallons of the hazardous material [...]
Civil penalties for school bus firms operating unsafe equipment have been increased, effective Dec. 27, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The regulation applies to all schools or school systems who own or operate school buses. All school buses, whether in [...]
Stem “Every Amtrak employee should be placed in a productive position that supports the needs of customer service and managed growth of operations,” UTU National Legislative Director James Stem told Congress Nov. 28. “Amtrak operating crews are among the most productive [...]
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has once again awarded its Medicare contract to Palmetto GBA, which will continue to handle Medicare Part B claims for Railroad Retirement beneficiaries. The award, which was announced Sept. 28, names Palmetto as the Railroad Specialty Medi [...]
UTU members covered by the Railroad Employees’ National Vision Plan will see improvements in the program effective Jan. 1 when benefits formerly provided by VSP will be administered by EyeMed Vision Care. Enhancements include: • A larger national network of providers, [...]
Distractions occur everywhere in our daily lives, but when those in safety sensitive positions are distracted on the job, the results too often result in death or career-ending injuries. A collaborative effort among the Federal Railroad Administration, rail labor and carriers [...]
Medicare beneficiaries will see their standard Medicare Part B monthly premium increase by $5 monthly to $104.90 beginning in January. A small number of beneficiaries will continue to pay higher premiums based on their modified adjusted gross income, which depends on the exte [...]
The manufacturer of the prescription medication Pradaxa(r) is voluntarily recalling all patient-level lots of 75mg dosage of the medication. The reason is a potential packaging defect that the manufacturer says may compromise the integrity of the bottle and permit moisture to [...]
