TTD in the news

US shippers face tough road to gain national port productivity metrics As published by Reynolds Hutchins in Journal of Commerce Just minutes into its first meeting it was clear that U.S. shippers shouldn’t expect an easy path toward the creation of nationwide metrics to measure the nation’s port productivity. The immediate roadblocks, stalemates and impasses the group…

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After Obama, GOP platform moves right on labor issues As published by Sean Higgins in The Washington Examiner There is not much for labor leaders to like in the Republican Party’s 2016 platform. It is one of the toughest the party has had in the last four decades in terms of calling for union power…

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Freight-rail industry opposes, unions support FRA’s two-person crew proposal As published in Progressive Railroading Freight-rail industry representatives last week called on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to drop its proposed rule mandating two-person crews on freight trains. At an FRA hearing last week, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and theAmerican Short Line and Regional…

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TTD supports DeLauro Bill to make railroads safer As published in the American Journal of Transportation “Rep. Rosa DeLauro continued her commitment to improving rail transportation safety by advancing legislation that seeks to reduce employee fatigue and beef up safety standards. “We are pleased that this legislation seeks to minimize one of the rail industry’s…

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Feds weigh minimum train crew sizes As published by Melanie Zanona in The Hill The Federal Railroad Administration is considering a rule that would require most trains to have a minimum number of crew members. During a Friday public hearing on the proposal, union groups, policymakers and stakeholders weighed in on whether most rail operations…

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Effort to create US port productivity metrics hits wall of opposition As published by Reynolds Hutchins in Journal of Commerce WASHINGTON — A group tasked with helping the U.S. Department of Transportation develop industry-wide metrics to gauge port productivity sputtered to a start at its first meeting Friday. Representatives of the railroad industry and labor unions — many…

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Labor Supports, Industry Opposes U.S. Rulemaking on Freight Train Crew Size   Union Insists Rules Promote Safety, AAR Says They Would Stifle Innovation As published by Peter Buxbaum in Global Trade Magazine The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, (TTD) has responded positively to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking establishing a minimum…

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Bill exempting Puerto Rico from Jones Act ignites old battles As published by Joseph Bonney in Journal of Commerce Shipyard, maritime and labor interests have criticized an Alabama congressman’s proposal to exempt Puerto Rico from the Jones Act’s requirements for U.S.flag shipping between the island and the U.S. mainland. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., called for the exemption in…

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Water Resources Bill Moving Along in U.S. Congress Bill to be Considered by House and Senate this Month As published by Peter Buxbaum in Global Trade Magazine The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the U.S. Congress approved a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 toward the end of May, marking the successful jump…

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U.S. Merchant Marine Industry Strong, But Needs Improvements As published by John Marcario in Seapower Magazine Improving, and strengthening, the Jones Act, along with being more unified, were the theme echoed by mariners and officials during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s annual National Maritime Day observance ceremony. “The nations merchant mariners have always answered the…

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