Transportation News

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

New surface transport law a mixed bag

It’s not all we wanted, but, maybe more important, it’s not as bad as it could have been. Given the polarization of this Congress, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century – MAP-21 – is as good a new transportation authorization bill as we could have hoped for. Passe [...]

TSA sets new TWIC renewal policy

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has established a new policy on renewals of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) – a tamper-resistant biometric worker-access pass — which is required of rail crews entering maritime por [...]

Conductor certification program available online

A slideshow presented to UTU members attending the union’s conductor certification workshop at the Portland, Ore., regional meeting is now available on the UTU website. The slideshow can be downloaded as a PowerPoint presentation by clicking here or in PDF format here. [...]

Services set for three victims of UP Okla. crash

Funeral arrangements have been announced for the three Union Pacific railroaders – UTU member and conductor Brian Stone and locomotive engineers John Hall and Dan Hall — who were killed June 24 in a head-on crash near Goodwell, Okla.    Services for Brian Stone, 49 [...]

We will not back down

By UTU International President Mike Futhey and SMWIA General President Joe Nigro –  We are just months from one of the most important Election Days in our careers. Not in our lifetimes has organized labor been under attack as we are today from corporate-funded anti-worker con [...]

UTU member among 3 dead in UP Okla. head-on

GUYMON, Okla. – Three Union Pacific crewmembers died in a June 24 head-on collision between two freight trains near here that produced a diesel fuel-fed fire so intense that the thick, black smoke could be seen for 10 miles and caused the closing of a nearby small airport and [...]

Arty Martin: “We will protect you”

PORTLAND, Ore. — Reflecting on violence against air, bus and rail members, UTU International Assistant President Arty Martin told attendees at the union’s regional meeting here June 20 that protecting the working conditions and safety of members is among the highest of [...]

NS retaliation again slapped by OSHA

It is reasonable to wonder just how many millions of dollars in sanctions must be assessed against railroads by the federal government before they learn the lesson that employees are not the equivalent of number 2 pencils to be chewed on at will and discarded when convenient. [...]

UTU political strength praised in retirement fight

Among the numerous political challenges facing working families is preservation of Railroad Retirement and Social Security, which are both under attack by political conservatives. As the UTU’s Portland, Ore., regional meeting commenced June 18, the labor member of the Railroa [...]

Death by rail: For crew, healing takes time

Suicide by rail is no stranger to operators of steel-wheel trollies on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s Victory Division in suburban Philadelphia. UTU-represented members of this SEPTA property recall having to plead with management to replace the front fa [...]