U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure chairman, recently sent a letter to Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Amit Bose, urging the agency to support a proposed rule stating all freight and passenger rail operations must have at least two crew members per train.
The rule is intended to improve rail operations, decrease worker fatigue, and increase worker and passenger safety nationwide.
Other modes of transportation have at least two crew members, the letter said, and technology cannot replace human expertise and quick thinking.
“Operating with multiple crew members has been the historical norm on U.S. freight railroads for decades,” the letter said. “Having a minimum of two crew members who work as a team to monitor and ensure compliance with safety regulations, troubleshoot along the route, quickly identify and respond to emergencies has always been important. This is especially so now that some freight railroads are operating trains that are extremely heavy and miles-long, which impact safe handling, increase wear and tear, and cause blocked crossings which in turn impede motorists’ travel and encourage dangerous pedestrian behavior.”
Fifty-seven members of Congress co-signed the letter.