WASHINGTON – Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO, released the following statement in response to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement of a final rule establishing a minimum requirement of two-person crews for most Class I freight and passenger railroad operations:
“For years, rail workers and unions have sounded the alarm about the need for two-person crews. Thanks to the actions of the Biden Administration, our calls for action have been answered. We applaud the final rule to require a minimum of two crew members on trains and establish minimum requirements for the location of crew members on moving trains to promote safe and effective teamwork.
“This rule acknowledges that crew size is fundamentally a safety issue at its core. Rail workers experience the risks of the job daily, and have made it clear that two-person crews are inherently necessary to ensure the safe operation of our rail systems. While the FRA has considered action on crew size for almost a decade, operational and safety changes across the rail industry the last several years have only heightened the need for strong crew size regulations. By implementing a minimum federal standard across the industry, we can continue to partner with the Biden Administration to address the significant safety concerns presented by railroads operating with single person crews.
“We thank President Biden for ensuring that his Administration delivered this essential rail safety rule. We look forward to continuing to partner with Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Administrator Amit Bose to ensure the strongest possible safety standards in the rail industry. We also salute the Biden Administration’s strong commitment to rail safety and continuing support for paid sick leave agreements for all rail workers.”
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