(C) Virginia Mercury This story was originally published by Virginia Mercury and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . New federal rule requires two-person crews on trains; similar Va. bill vetoed • Virginia Mercury [1] ['Nathaniel Cline', 'Charlie Paullin', 'More From Author', '- April'] Date: 2024-04-10 The federal government will require at least two crew members on all passenger and freight trains across the country, according to the final ruling recently adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Democratic lawmakers in Virginia proposed similar legislation during this year’s General Assembly session. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed the measure, characterizing it as “premature,” as the country anticipated the federal government’s decision on crew size requirements, and that it lacked the nuance needed to make rail safety regulations effective. Christian Martinez, a spokesman for the governor, said the actions by the Federal Railroad Administration confirm the governor’s position on the vetoed bills. The new federal rule requiring at least two crew members overreaches, Martinez said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this rule is nearly as bad as the bills he vetoed: government mandates inhibit the development and implementation of technology, impose constraints on our supply chain, and drive up costs on consumers and increase inflation.” Following the Norfolk Southern Railway Company train derailment in Ohio last year, public interest in changing the crew size requirement grew. The train spilled dangerous materials; some filtered into waterways. Last month, Norfolk Southern experienced another derailment issue in Pennsylvania and recently settled in the Ohio case. Studies, including one by the federal government, have not determined whether one-person crews are safer than two-person crews. The Virginia bill’s carrier, Del. Shelly Simonds, D-Newport News, along with Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, said the railroad administration’s ruling justified the rationale for their measure. “I felt vindicated,” said Simonds on Monday. “It shows that we were right to make this a priority during our legislative session. These trains come barreling through our communities, and it’s just common sense that they’re safely staffed.” Carroll Foy said the intention of the legislation was a “common sense” public safety and service measure, citing the number of train derailments annually — over 1,000 — as a cause for action. She also said the new federal rule would give train workers and communities “peace of mind.” “I welcome this new rule, and applaud President [Joe] Biden, Secretary [Pete] Buttigieg, and the Federal Railroad Administration for getting this across the finish line,” Carroll Foy said in a statement. Simonds said trains being staffed with more than one crew member would be especially beneficial during emergencies, by decoupling railcars when first responders and emergency service teams need to cross the tracks. Simonds said some railroad companies use computer automation, which could create an issue if tracks are unexpectedly blocked. “If people hate being stopped at a crossing now, wait until there’s no one available on an automated train to decouple it,” Simonds said. “People are sick and tired of being stuck behind these trains.” According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Transportation, a second crew member is responsible for “important safety functions” that could be lost with a single member. Without the rule, the agency said railroad companies could operate with one crew member without performing a “rigorous risk assessment, mitigating known risks,” or even notifying the agency’s Federal Railroad Administration. The agency said it received more than 13,500 written comments during the 146-day comment period, as well as testimony from a one-day public hearing. Opponents of the legislation had urged lawmakers to wait until the final ruling before creating problems for businesses and rail operators challenged with finding rail workers. Simonds disagreed with that stance, adding that railroad union members are doing a “great job” recruiting young people to the industry. She said railroad workers must know that trains will be managed safely and sufficiently staffed. “I think this is a perfect example of where we need to put people over profits, and this has to be about the safety of not only railroad workers but our communities,” she said. The federal agency said the final rule does specify how it treats freight railroads, especially Class II and III freight railroads. In limited cases, the rule permits exceptions to the two-person crew requirement for smaller railroads, allowing them to continue or initiate certain one-person train crew operations by notifying the railroad administration and complying with new federal safety standards. Buttigieg, the nation’s transportation secretary, said the final rule builds on President Joe Biden’s actions to improve rail safety, including funding billions into rail improvement projects and holding railroad operators accountable. “Common sense tells us that large freight trains, some of which can be over three miles long, should have at least two crew members on board,” Buttigieg said in a statement, adding that the new rule is “long overdue” and will “ensure trains are safely staffed.” [END] --- [1] Url: https://virginiamercury.com/2024/04/10/new-federal-rule-requires-two-person-crews-on-trains-similar-va-bill-vetoed/ Published and (C) by Virginia Mercury Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/virginiamercury/