Railroads want feds to scrap 2-person train crew rule

The AAR urged the agency to modernize and streamline regulations it claims stifles innovation and discourages investment without improving safety.

“For too long, outdated, arbitrary regulations have stood in the way of implementing data-backed solutions that can further strengthen railroads’ already remarkable safety record,” said AAR President and Chief Executive Ian Jefferies, in a release. “As technology advances, railroads must be empowered to innovate — not be hamstrung by prescriptive rules, including some written more than 50 years ago. As a critical economic enabler, domestic growth and prosperity are contingent upon maintaining freight railroads’ ability to safely, reliably and affordably deliver for American businesses and communities.” 

The AAR in its comments called “illusory” the rule’s special approval process for one-person crews, and claimed the FRA has no data showing such crews are unsafe. The railroads also said one-person crews would save them $264.7 million over the first 10 years of gradual implementation, according to a 2016 analysis by consultant Oliver Wyman.  

The railroads called the crew rule “a 2020 campaign promise” by Biden “that failed to quantify any safety benefit to justify its significant costs.”

The railroads also want DOT to relax other safety measures, including finalizing a proposed rule calling for less frequent inspections of train brakes.

“Collectively, these changes would reduce unnecessary regulatory burden while continuing to meet USDOT’s responsibility to ensure the safety of the nation’s transportation system,” AAR said in the release.

The AAR is prepared for public pushback over the safety aspects of one-person crews. In response to questions, a spokesperson told FreightWaves that railroads would likely deploy mobile personnel on the ground within certain remote areas, to respond to situations involving extra-long trains typical of current rail operations, and would retain two-person crews for some trains carrying hazardous materials.

This article was updated May 8 to add comments from AAR concerning extra-long and hazmat trains.

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