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S. 1889, The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2007
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Visitor Comments
Anonymous Engineer (#1)
Sorry in advance for the typos and spelling, but I've been up over 24 hours. I just got done with a 15+ hour trip where railroad (mis)management allowed our crew to "go dead" 145 miles from home. Then we had to wait 40 minutes for the van to show up.
Under S.1889, nothing would change for the next three years.
IMO, that's a three year window for Republicans to "revisit" this law and make it permanent. I think carriers have spent $9 million lobbying in the first half of 2007. I expect the railroads to buy the wording they want in the next few years.
S.1889 has too many loopholes that let the railroads continue limbo time abuse. Republicans will argue that there's no risk to the public after 12 hours. I beg to differ. First, our van driver almost ran off of the road. Second, I almost got T-boned on the drive home. I should have been home in bed instead, not almost getting killed.
Anonymous Engineeer (#1)
Senators! Here's how you fix it;
*Delete: '(IV) an act of God, '(XI) any other delay...
Better yet, remove all eleven of those loopholes. For peotic justice, allow the crews to use those same exceptions as valid reasons to not show up to work on time. "Sorry, I'm late but I had an act of God." :)
*Then remove '(iii). That's the part that allows 30 hours of limbo time per month for each employee.
The railroads get 30 hours of limbo time per employee per month...and I can only have one weekend day off?!?! How about I get a 'freebie' availability day for every hour of limbo time?
hysteric hoosier
Icalled my two senators offices today and their people told me that this bill S#1889 would never even get out of committee. Chalk another one up for Dick Cheney and his winky puppet. keep the pressure on your senators now, they are our only chance.
Fatigued Engineer Part 1
I see after following all the hearings an tesimony's from union an Doctors, AAR, NTSB. FRA an all the Studies it looks like NO ONE LISTENED! We've got people that has no idea what its like on the RR, passing judgement on what needs to be done. IF they would have Listened more adgressive measures would be in this bill, besides "LOWERING" LIMBO TIME; before anything is done on this i would like someone from congress have to come do this for JUST 2wks! Then lets talk.
Norfolk Southern Engineer
I ,as well as everyone who works in transportation for the various railways across the nation know one thing,FATIGUE is the number one reason for everything that goes wrong on the railway,why are we permitted to work longer than truck drivers across the nation?does the general public understand that one "Tanker" of hazardous material in my train is the same as 4 to 5 semi loads of hazmat,and I may have 5,,10 or more of these.Eliminate Limbo time make the carriers pay for abusing there men
James UPShrek
Much of what is said so far are more half-truths tah anything. For one,working 12 hours on any railroad is the way it is, your fatigue matters aren't the reason that you are fatigued. What I would recommend is that the rest time after tie-up should be lenghtened to compensate for the exact time previously served on duty beyond 12 hours (dead on the law). eg.A crew goes dead on the law and remains on the head end for 2 more hours,cab arrives relives crew and crew continues to terminal (2hrs) for tie-up. At tie-up the crew has actually been on duty 16 hours, so the law should be adjusted to 16 hours rest plus 2 for travel time. So,a total of 18 hours rest is allowed before the caller can talk to that crew for reassignment, as opposed to the 8-hour rule now in existance.
Texas Eng
We spend 12 hours running the train then die and the carrier doesnt care if we get to tieup--no transportation availiable-- we are told. We rest and then wait to go back to work and wait and wait until we are no longer rested. Then they call-- adress the normal sleep cycle-- I understand the need to run trains and the problems with timing -- but there has to be limits!!
casey jones
Stop using our government to legislate union contracts! Limbo time, rest hours and absenteeism are problems that our "unions" should be helping us with, not Congress. If we would hire some real negotiators to deal with the companies on our contracts instead of wasting our dues on Democrat politicians maybe we could solve these problems ourselves. All of us knew what these jobs required when we signed up- nothings changed. If you don't want to sit on a train 16 hours, or you want every weekend off, then quit.
Anonymous Engineer (#1)
Update: April 25th, 2008. Nothing has changed. Management is still abusing limbo time.
Yesterday, KMBC 9 News in Kansas City ran a short story about crew fatigue. It didn't really educate the general public on the issue, but at least it was something.
keith bennett
In my 32 year railroad career i have watched the government funded F.R.A. lapdogs allow constant abuse of our existing laws concerning hours of service while the employees endure excessive discipline for their inevitable fatigue related mistakes. my carrier has a an existing policy in place to automatically dismiss employees for signal violations while it also enforces a policy of intimidation for absenteism based on calendar dates instead of hours worked. will this new administration be any different?
old mare
Speaking of loopholes, can you see the rotating off days and no regard for seniority contained in this bill?
Waylon
Casey Jones you are sad. You must be A Manager, New hire or just stupid. Im sorry that you think that their can be no ballance between work and life.