WASHINGTON, DC – Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), today commends the Federal Railroad Administration on its intention to issue a new rule on two-person train crew requirements.
“We know, through years of experience and too many tragic accidents that it takes two qualified crew members to safely operate trains – some up to 15,000 tons and a mile long.
“Communities deserve a basic assurance that the trains operating in their neighborhoods are safe and today’s action moves us a step closer to meeting that expectation.
“We are disappointed that our nation’s railroads have predictably dismissed the need for today’s action by federal regulators. While the railroads argue against this rule as unnecessary, they conveniently fail to mention that their previous collective bargaining pursuits have included attempts to employ one-person crews.
“This is a common sense safety initiative by the FRA – we look forward to its timely completion and implementation.”
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