Transportation News

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Conductor, engineer dead in Iowa collision

RED OAK, Iowa — A BNSF conductor and an engineer were killed in a rear-end train accident near here Sunday morning, April 17. Red Oak is southeast of Council Bluffs and is part of BNSF’s Creston subdivision, which has centralized traffic control, according to the [...]

New STB member; RRB, NMB hopefuls waiting

WASHINGTON — A former John McCain aide, Ann Begeman, has been confirmed by the Senate as the one Republican on the three-member U.S. Surface Transportation Board. Two other presidential nominees — Walt Barrows to become the labor member on the Railroad Retirement [...]

Harsh cuts by Congress to transport funding

WASHINGTON — The vote by Congress April 15 on a budget that keeps the federal government operating through Sept. 30 contains harsh spending cuts for Amtrak, transit and high-speed rail. Especially troubling to UTU members are the Amtrak and transit budget cuts, which co [...]

UTU Iowa Northern members ratify first pact

UTU-represented conductors and engineers on Iowa Northern Railway have ratified their first agreement covering wages, benefits and working conditions. Iowa Northern T&E employees chose the UTU as their collective bargaining agent in November 2008. The agreement was negoti [...]

Share info on your fraternal activities

The UTU is extremely proud of the fraternal activities performed by our members and is asked to report these activities to the National Fraternal Congress of America. This data is used by the NFCA to increase public awareness of the benevolent activities of its fraternal orga [...]

We can learn a lot from baseball

By UTU Assistant President Arty Martin While watching the Major League Baseball Game of the Week Saturday between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, I was reminded of how important history and heritage are. Prior to the start of the game, a special guest of the Red Sox [...]

Charlotte bus mechanics approve new pact

The members of Local 1596, Charlotte, N.C., have ratified a new three-year deal with Transit Management of Charlotte (CATS) by an overwhelming margin. UTU represents bus mechanics on the property. Major advances were made in job classifications and job protection, with a guar [...]

New UTU agreement on S. Florida Tri-Rail

MIAMI — A tentative agreement between Veolia Transportation — operator of South Florida Tri-Rail — and the UTU has been reached, covering both sides of the locomotive cab. The agreement now goes to members for ratification, with the vote count scheduled May [...]

Buffalo school bus drivers ratify agreement

BUFFALO, N.Y. — School bus drivers employed by First Student here and represented by the UTU have ratified a new agreement by a 213-90 vote. The agreement ratified by members of UTU Local 1908 provides for wage increases retroactive to June 2010, no loss of benefits and [...]

‘Safety’ is middle name of UTU D.C. legislative director

For UTU District of Columbia Legislative Director Willie Bates the recognition and honors keep rolling in. The latest is from the State of Virginia, which on April 7 bestowed upon Bates the Governor’s Transportation Safety Award in the category of rail safety. His accom [...]