FRA Proposed Rule Will Require Two-Person Crews on Crude Oil Trains

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced Wednesday that it will issue a proposed rule requiring two-person crews on crude oil trains.  The FRA moved forward with the rulemaking after a Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) Working Group created at DOT’s request in response to the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec derailment failed to reach consensus when evaluating the issue of appropriate crew size.  The train containing crude oil that derailed in Lac-Mégantic had been left unattended on a main line prior to the incident.

Existing FRA regulations do not mandate minimum crew staffing requirements.  According to FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo, “We believe that safety is enhanced with the use of a multiple person crew—safety dictates that you never allow a single point of failure.  Ensuring that trains are adequately staffed for the type of service operated is a critically important to ensure safety redundancy.”  U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx added, “Safety is our highest priority, and we are committed to taking the necessary steps to assure the safety of those who work for railroads and shippers, and the residents and communities along shipping routes.  The proposed rulemaking on crew size is the latest effort in our comprehensive strategy to ensure crude oil is transported as safely as possible.”