A group of lawmakers sent correspondence this week to the Department of Transportation (DOT) in opposition to the Kansas City Southern Railway (KCSR) petition seeking a federal safety and inspection requirements waiver.
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Ranking Member Michael Capuano (D-MA) joined 27 members of Congress in forwarding a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao regarding the company’s request.
“Freight railroads have long sought the ability to allow Mexican crews to operate trains in the United States,” the legislators wrote. “We oppose any groundwork that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) might be laying toward that effort. We strongly urge you to deny the petition and rescind the process of allowing Mexican rail crews to operate within the United States.”
Opponents of the action maintain the petition is the latest in a series of actions taken by KCSR to allow Mexican workers, who are not subject to FRA regulations regarding pre-employment screening and random drug and alcohol testing, to operate trains in the United States, thus moving American rail jobs to Mexico.
Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation (SMART) Transportation Division and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen officials said the organizations filed a court petition challenging KCSR’s actions.