NPRM: Railroad Staffing Requirements

One Train, Two Train, Red Train, Blue Train.

Recently release on July 28, 2022, The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)released its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). In an effort to establish safer rail operations, the FRA seeks to create a minimum staffing standard for certain types of operations.

Within the NPRM there are some significant changes and exemptions:

• Create a two-person minimum for all operations, with the exception of operations that do not pose a significant safety risk to railroad employees, the public, and environment.
• Establish a minimum requirement for the location of crew members on a moving train and rules for communication between crew members.
• Allow for special approvals through petition of the FRA to continue legacy operations with one-person train crews.
• Allow for petition of approval to initiate new train operations with fewer than two crewmembers.

If you feel a sense of déjà vu, you’re not alone. The FRA previously announced a comparable rule in 2016 that was later vacated. For a deeper look into the proposed rule you can find it HERE!

To comment on the proposed rule, all comments must be received by September 26, 2022. In the meantime, if you’re in need of DOT Railcar Training or other Rail Services, make sure to check out our industry leading offerings. If you still have questions or are unsure about what industry leading training or compliance solution best works for you, make sure to contact us for a 100% FREE CONSULTATION at 412-249-1111 or visit us at www.learnhazmat.com and one of our dedicated team members will be waiting help answer all your questions about achieving your safety and compliance goals!

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