On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced new rules that will require certification and training programs for train dispatchers and signal employees.
Prior to Monday’s announcement there were no federal regulations mandating specific training requirements, safety and knowledge checks, or verification of safety records for dispatchers and signal employees. The final rules address that gap, officials said, and will help ensure that dispatchers and signal employees are qualified and fit for duty.
“Railroad operations require extensive, real-time coordination among employees to ensure that people and goods get where they need to go and that all workers can return to their homes and families at the end of the day,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Railroaders and the communities through which trains run need to know that they have competent, qualified teams managing railroad operations, and the final rules announced today will help guarantee that those working on or living near the tracks have their safety in good hands.”
Under the new rules, railroads must submit certification programs for FRA approval that will evaluate the knowledge, skill and prior safety record for dispatchers and signal employees. Officials said the certification programs will also ensure periodical for those employees on railroad safety and operating rules, as well as new systems and technology.
“Railroading has become an increasingly complex and demanding line of work, as employees must learn and adapt to new technologies and computerized systems, and as continuing workforce reductions have placed a greater responsibility on current and new workers,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said. “By establishing a federal standard on the certification of dispatchers and signal employees, FRA is ensuring that railroads properly prepare, train, and equip their workforce, now and in the future.”