Transportation News

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Start-time variability contributes to fatigue, accidents

Start time variability in work schedules is often assumed to be a cause of railroad employee fatigue because unpredictable work-start times prevent employees from planning sleep and personal activities. A new report published by the Federal Railroad Administration examines wo [...]

Report: Northeast Corridor is an economic engine

A new report, “The Northeast Corridor and the American Economy,” produced by the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission (NEC Commission) details how the Northeast Corridor (NEC), carrying 750,000 daily Amtrak and commuter/regional rail passengers [...]

No culture of safety at NJT, union official says

Conductors assaulted on trains. Employee facilities that are filthy and infested with rodents. A culture where “an on-time train is better than a safe train.” An New Jersey Transit union official said Tuesday (April 8) there is no culture of safety at the statewide transporta [...]

Southwest Chief could be rerouted from rural Colo.

From the towns of Lamar and La Junta on the Eastern Plains, south to Trinidad, the Southwest Chief has made stops since 1971 as it shuttles passengers between Chicago and Los Angeles. But soon the picturesque views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that passengers have enjoye [...]

22 hurt after car smashes into SEPTA bus

TWENTY-TWO PEOPLE were hospitalized yesterday after a violent crash sent a SEPTA bus careening into a building in Chinatown, authorities said.  The collision happened just before 5 p.m. yesterday at the intersection of 11th and Vine streets, SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said. [...]

FRA amends train emergency preparedness rules

The Federal Railroad Administration announced a Final Rule (FR) amending its existing Passenger Train Emergency Preparedness regulations.   The revisions make explicit that existing requirements for initial and periodic training, operational efficiency tests and inspections o [...]

Local 240 to have union meeting Wednesday

Local Secretary & Treasurer Dale Biggs of SMART Transportation Division Local 240 at Los Angeles reports that the local’s next monthly meeting will be held Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. at Ozzie’s Diner, upstairs. Biggs is compiling an email list to send out n [...]

Send message to our politicians: ‘Improve our wages’

By Bonnie Morr, Vice President, Bus –  As I travel around the country working on grievances, arbitrations, negotiations and labor agreements, as well as the health and well-being of our locals and our members, one underlying issue is always present: wages. Our wages are not k [...]

Rep. Paul Ryan's budget would destroy Amtrak

CHICAGO (April 2, 2014)–Midwest High Speed Rail Association Executive Director Richard Harnish issued the following statement on Wednesday in response to Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget, which would completely eliminate funding for Amtrak: “Buried de [...]

Mo. House to vote on right-to-work today

The Missouri House of Representatives plans to vote on right-to-work legislation today, April 2. State Legislative Director Ken Menges, asks that all Missourians call their state representatives today and tell them to vote no on right-to-work. “Tell your Representative [...]