FRA Train Crew Staffing Rule to OMB

The OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced Saturday that they had received a copy of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on train crew size from the Federal Railroad Administration. This NPRM is part of the ongoing effort by DOT to reduce the risks associated with crude oil trains.

According to the latest Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking:

“This rulemaking would add minimum requirements for the size of different train crew staffs depending on the type of operation.  The minimum crew staffing requirements would reflect for the safety risks posed to railroad employees, the general public, and the environment and would account for differences in costs.  This rulemaking would also establish minimum requirements for the roles and responsibilities of the second train crew member on a moving train, and promote safe and effective teamwork.  Additionally, this rulemaking would permit a railroad to submit information to FRA and seek approval if it wants to continue an existing operation with a one-person train crew or start up an operation with less than two crew members.”

The Fall 2014 Unified Agenda reports that the FRA plans on publishing the NPRM for this rule in January. Achieving that goal is now in the hands of OIRA.