We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » FRA revives “crew redundancy” requirement for train staffing

FRA revives “crew redundancy” requirement for train staffing

Proposed rule would require two crew members on each train in name of safety, but AAR says technology would work better.

Train-49-768x659.jpeg
July 27, 2022
Ben Ames
No Comments

Federal rail regulators have proposed a rule requiring a minimum of two train crewmembers for over-the-road railroad operations, pushing a political pendulum that had swung toward smaller staffing requirements during the Trump Administration.

Citing a need for improved safety practices, the suggested “crew redundancy” policy by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) also proposes requirements for the location of crewmembers on a moving train, and would prohibit the operation of some trains with fewer than two crewmembers from transporting large amounts of certain hazardous materials. 

But for safer runs, the rule would include flexible exceptions for certain low risk operations and circumstances where mitigating measures are in place to protect railroad employees, the public, and the environment.

The move resuscitates a concept first pushed by the FRA in 2016 following two rail accidents in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, and in Casselton, North Dakota, where train loads of crude oil ignited after train wrecks and caused huge explosions that flattened buildings and killed residents. However, the Trump Administration’s FRA withdrew that notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in 2019, following heated debate between rail industry groups and labor and environmental organizations.

The potential rule will be published in tomorrow’s issue of the Federal Register, starting the clock on a series of legal steps that invites comments on the proposed rule to be received by September 26.

One group that is already pushing back against the idea is the Association of American Railroads (AAR), a trade group for rail industry corporations. In a statement, the group called the revived NPRM “misguided” and said it would put freight rail at a long-term competitive disadvantage to less fuel-efficient modes of transportation. According to the AAR, other Department of Transportation modal agencies are working to support greater automation and technological safety benefits—such as positive train control (PTC)—but the FRA “stands alone in its efforts to lock in yesterday’s regulatory approaches.”

However, the government says the rule is needed to support safer operations, and is consistent with safety analysis required by other FRA regulations, including PTC, a technology suite that went live on U.S. rails in 2020 and can automatically stop a train before certain human-related accidents occur.

According to the FRA, the proposed rule would also replace an existing patchwork of conflicting state laws regarding crew size with a uniform national standard. Without consistent guidelines, railroads may be subjected to disparate requirements in every state in which they operate, resulting in potential safety risks, operational inefficiencies, and significant costs, the agency said.

“We are committed to data-driven decision making,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said in a release. “In cases where railroads wish to operate with fewer than two crewmembers, we are proposing that they perform a rigorous, thorough, and transparent risk assessment and hazard analysis, and FRA will provide an opportunity for public comment on these submissions.”

 

Today, FRA announced a proposed rule requiring a minimum of two train crewmembers for most railroad operations, with some exceptions for certain low risk operations. Read the release here: https://t.co/mOaIp8ohHk

— The FRA (@USDOTFRA) July 27, 2022

AAR CEO Ian Jefferies: FRA proposed crew size rule "prioritizes politics over sound, data-driven safety policy" effectively locking in 2 person crews into the future. https://t.co/eTrIfT7CH9 pic.twitter.com/uZNnfbRSpz

— AAR (@AAR_FreightRail) July 27, 2022
Rail
KEYWORDS AAR - Association of American Railroads Federal Railroad Administration
  • Related Articles

    Aurizon Bulk East to Deploy Navis Rail Operations System for Locomotive and Crew Planning Proces

    Trade groups offer cautious support for requirement to vaccinate or test, but warn on additional costs

Ben Ames is Editor at Large and a Senior Editor at Supply Chain Quarterly?s sister publication, DC Velocity.

Recent Articles by Ben Ames

Port of Oakland reports slow February container volumes as retail activity sputters

Sinking container demand creates stacks of excess boxes around Europe

U.S. regulators approve merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Survey: most Americans unaware that truckers face shortage of parking spaces

  • Best practices in logistics sustainability

  • Supply chain executives not yet seeing expected results from technology investments

  • Postal Service plans to seize items mailed with fake stamps

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing