Washington- Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg announced a new rule Tuesday requiring two-person crews on railroads in an effort to boost safety as rail regulations came into the spotlight after East Palestine, Ohio, derailment Last year.
“This is a good day for the safety of railroad workers, passengers and all Americans who live near a railroad across the country, because America’s railroads are safer today than they were were yesterday,” Buttigieg said at a press conference Tuesday.
The Federal Railroad Administration provision establishes a minimum crew size for all railroads, including freight, passenger and commuter trains, requiring at least two crew members. Buttigieg called a second crew member “vital” for training safety operations, such as handling switches and assisting in emergencies. Before the rule, he said a railroad could unilaterally decide to employ a one-person crew without consulting the Department of Transportation.
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The Transport Secretary said people had been urging the department to tackle crew sizes for more than a decade. And he added that the bridge collapse in Baltimore last week reminded Americans “what is at stake in the security of our transportation systems.” Buttigieg said the rule was a priority for President Biden and would address the patchwork of different requirements across states.
“It’s a rule that’s good for workers, it’s good for communities, it’s good for the American economy.” But he said that won’t be enough to prevent accidents and that the department will continue to push for changes in the industry and pressure Congress to pass the Rail Safety Act.
Rail safety was thrust into the spotlight following a train derailment last year in East Palestine, Ohio. Lawmakers soon after introduced a bipartisan rail safety bill, which has been long delayed in the Senate, where it is unclear whether there is enough Republican support for the measure to eliminate a filibuster.
Buttigieg said rail safety should be a “totally bipartisan, nonpartisan issue,” adding that Congress “must enact it into law.”
Since the East Palestine derailment, there have been more than 1,500 derailments in the United States, Washington, D.C. Firefighters Association President David Hoagland said Tuesday. He noted that the requirement for a two-team personal train is an “essential safety feature” since members establish the first line of defense before emergency personnel arrive.
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