Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation | Official website
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced two final rules that will necessitate railroads to establish certification and training programs for train dispatchers and signal employees. Prior to this, there were no federal regulations enforcing specific training requirements, safety checks, and verification of safety records for these positions. These final rules are intended to bridge this gap in rail safety, ensuring that certified dispatchers and signal employees are qualified and fit for duty.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated, “Railroad operations require extensive, real-time coordination among employees to ensure that people and goods get where they need to go and that all workers can return to their homes and families at the end of the day.” He added that the new rules would help ensure those working on or living near the tracks have their safety in competent hands.
Under these final rules, railroads must submit certification programs for FRA approval. These programs will assess the knowledge, skills, and prior safety records of dispatchers - who allocate track use and route trains - as well as signal employees who install, repair, and maintain signal systems directing train movements. The certification programs will also ensure periodic training on railroad safety and operating rules for dispatchers and signal employees.
FRA Administrator Amit Bose noted the increasing complexity of railroading work due to new technologies and computerized systems. He said, “By establishing a federal standard on the certification of dispatchers and signal employees, FRA is ensuring that railroads properly prepare, train, and equip their workforce now and in the future.”
The final rule on dispatcher certification is available for public inspection in the Federal Register here while the final rule for signal employees can be viewed here. More information on USDOT efforts to strengthen rail safety can also be found here.
