Safety

Last month, VICE Media exposed the dangers of a new business model taking hold in the freight rail industry called Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). The goal of PSR is to line the pockets of wealthy shareholders by prioritizing cost cutting and profits over safety and service. Now, VICE News has released a companion video that […]

Frontline workers across our economy are putting their lives on the line as they step up to serve our country and their communities and our time of need. These heroes deserve to know they are protected at work, and they need the federal government to fulfill its responsibility to them to ensure their safety, and the safety of their families and passengers.

Many transit workers still do not have the personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, or adequate direction from their employers to ensure their health and safety, or the health and safety of their families. In cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, or Detroit, transit workers are literally putting their lives on the line to keep America moving. These workers are becoming sick and, in some cases, tragically dying at alarming rates.

Last fall, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 — proof that Washington can still get things done and that bipartisan agreement is achievable on key transportation issues. This long-term reauthorization bill made critical investments in our nation’s airports and air traffic control network, and supported the work of FAA employees dedicated to safe […]

On Thursday, June 20, rail unions, including many TTD affiliates, will testify before Congress about the most pressing safety issues facing the industry and its workforce today. From recent decisions by the FRA to pressures from Wall Street that threaten safety, here is a preview of what will be discussed.

Our federal government recently prioritized the profits of the freight rail industry over safety by refusing to set standards for crew train size. The same agency — the federal railroad administration — also declared state laws that do set crew size null and void, paving the way for freight trains, which can be up to […]

April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, a day to remember and honor those who lost their lives or have been injured at work. For the men and women who keep America moving, this holiday is especially poignant. Working on the frontlines of our transportation system is never without risk. Whether working with heavy equipment and […]

Each year, hundreds of Americans are seriously injured or killed by locomotives when they intentionally or accidentally wander onto tracks or drive into the path of oncoming trains. While much has been done in the last two decades to mitigate these fatalities, it is clear more must be done to ensure rail grade crossing and […]

This summer, the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) allowed the freight carrier Kansas City Southern Railroad (KCSR) to operate freight trains in the United States with crews from Mexico. TTD President Larry I. Willis joined America’s Workforce Radio host Ed “Flash” Ferenc to discuss this concerning decision, and its implications, in a recent interview. The decision […]

  In transportation, almost everyone talks about the need to put safety first, but when given the choice between cutting costs and lowering standards, some companies choose wrong. That is what we are seeing in the freight rail industry’s efforts to reduce crew size. Today, nearly every freight train in America is operated by two […]