Washington – Secretary of Transportation pete buttigieg Railroad regulations in East Palestine, Ohio, are in the spotlight, with new rules announced Tuesday that will require two crew members on trains to improve safety. derailment last year.
“Today is a good day for the safety of railroad workers, railroad passengers, and all Americans who live near railroad tracks across the country,” Buttigieg said at a press conference Tuesday. Because it's safer,” he said.
Federal Railroad Administration regulations establish minimum crew numbers for all railroads, including freight, passenger, and commuter trains. Requires at least 2 crew members. Buttigieg said a second crew member is “essential” for training in safety tasks such as operating track switches and assisting in emergencies. He said that before the rule, railroads could unilaterally decide to hire one-person crew members without checking with the Department of Transportation.
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The Transport Secretary said people have been asking the Department for Transport to address crew sizes for more than a decade. And he added: baltimore bridge collapse Last week, Americans were reminded of “what is at stake for the safety of our nation's transportation system.” Buttigieg said the rule is a priority for President Biden and addresses a patchwork of requirements that differ from state to state.
“This is a rule that's good for workers, good for communities, good for the American economy.” But that alone won't prevent accidents, and the department will continue to push for industry change and pass the Railroad Safety Act. He added that he intends to pressure Congress to do so.
Railway safety has been in the spotlight since last year's train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Shortly after, lawmakers introduced a bipartisan rail safety bill, but it has long been delayed in the Senate, and it's unclear whether there will be enough Republican support for the bill to bypass the filibuster.
Buttigieg said rail safety should be “a totally bipartisan, bipartisan issue,” adding that Congress “needs to make it into law.”
Since the East Palestine derailment, there have been more than 1,500 derailments in the United States, David Hoagland, president of the Washington, D.C. Fire Protection Association, said Tuesday. He noted that requiring two crew members per train is an “important safety feature” as crews provide a first line of defense before emergency personnel arrive.
