Transportation News

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

Health care tax benefit for Mass. rail members

UTU members in Massachusetts covered under the National Rail Contract and other UTU plans will not face a tax penalty for the 2011 state tax year for dependent child maternity benefits. The Massachusetts state legislature had mandated coverage of dependent child maternity ben [...]

FAA announces new pilot fatigue rules

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced new rules aimed at preventing dangerous fatigue among passenger aircraft pilots. The rules do not affect all-cargo aircraft pilots. The new rules are in response to a Colgan Air crash near Buffalo, N.Y [...]

Fund established for family of member killed on job

A fund has been established for the family of Local 1957 member Stacy Rieger, a BNSF conductor, who was killed Dec. 18 when his head reportedly struck a bridge beam while leaning over the railing of his moving locomotive’s side running board in an attempt to check the fuel le [...]

OSHA raps UP again for whistleblower violation

Once again, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered a railroad to reinstate an employee and pay him back wages for violating an employee’s rights as a whistleblower. In the latest OSHA order, Union Pacific was ordered i [...]

Court cancels UP fines in drug smuggling

The Department of Homeland Security has been ordered by a federal district court in Nebraska to cease assessing fines against Union Pacific and seizing its rolling stock following discovery of illegal narcotics on trains originating in Mexico and delivered by Mexican railroad [...]

We are now SMART

Click here for a joint letter from UTU International President Mike Futhey and Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association General President Joe Nigro on the merger between our two organizations to become the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Workers (SMART).

Santa Monica drivers ratify new contract

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – UTU members employed by Santa Monica Regional Bus Lines (UTU Local 1785) have ratified a new three-year contract by a three-to-one margin. The contract, which expires June 30, 2014, includes pay raises, maintains and improves work rules, retains full-co [...]

Yard safety: Don’t let winter claim limbs and lives

We are into the season of losing limbs and lives in yard accidents. More career-ending injuries and fatalities occur during winter months – even in warmer climates – than any other season of the year. Even veteran rails – not just new yard employees — lose their situati [...]

Random drug, alcohol test rates set for 2012

WASHINGTON – The Department of Transportation has ordered the following minimum random drug and alcohol testing rates for 2012: For workers in safety sensitive positions and whose safety is regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration o [...]

Great Lakes commencing air service in N.D., Minn.

UTU-represented pilots and flight attendants at Great Lakes Airlines received good news with the announcement that the carrier would be taking over service in North Dakota and Minnesota from Delta Air Lines. Delta had been serving Devils Lake, N.D., but switched from turbopro [...]