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Rail Safety – Minimum Train Crew Size
Our advocacy, priorities, and policy positions always begin with safety – the safety of our members and other rail workers, and of the public at large. Since the 1980s, train crew size has shrunk from five to three to two. Our Board feels that two is the MINIMUM number of people for safe operations.
Do you support or oppose maintaining a minimum crew of two in the locomotive?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Ohio recently passed language to protect public safety by requiring railroad companies to have two people in the locomotive of any train being used to move freight.
Comments
Rail Safety – Public Road Crossings
Highway/railroad crossings are a top priority for the our Board – they are the most likely place for the public to interact with a train. At full speed it can take a train over a mile to stop which means that by the time a crew sees a car or truck on the crossing, it’s often too late.
Do you support or oppose limiting train length in Ohio to better match train size to the existing infrastructure?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Railroads have been assembling longer and longer trains, which causes issues with blocked highway/railroad crossings where existing infrastructure was not designed for the length of these trains.
Comments
Do you support or oppose additional training for freight haulers (truckers) and first responders specific to highway/railroad crossings, including what to do if stuck on the crossing?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Recently, there have been a series of catastrophic collisions between trains and vehicles stuck on highway/railroad crossings. This has renewed discussion about driver training, particularly about how to find and use the Emergency Notification System (ENS) signage.
Comments
Do you support or oppose changes at the federal level that would allow local and state governments to regulate railroad safety items within their jurisdiction?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
The railroad industry often cites federal preemption as an argument against any local or state ordinance that would prevent their blocking of highway/railroad crossings.
Comments
Rail Safety – Transporting Crews
Our members are often transported by vehicle to or from the train. Traditionally this is done by a livery company that specializes in crew transport, but recently railroads have begun using ride share companies and even members of the crew to provide transport.
Do you support or oppose minimum safety requirements such as pre-trip vehicle inspections, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and appropriate load limits for any vehicle being used to transport crews?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Do you support or oppose increased minimum insurance requirements for any ride share vehicle being used to transport employees at the requirement of their employer?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Although Ohio has robust ride share insurance requirements compared to our neighbors, these are still substantially lower than the insurance carried by a specialized crew transport company.
Comments
Do you support or oppose required pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing for drivers being used to transport employees at the requirement of their employer?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Right to Work and Organizing
In Statehouses across the country, anti-worker groups are advocating enactment of “Right-to-Work” laws to weaken workers and their unions. These laws are sometimes introduced under the guise of other deceptive titles, such as Employee Rights Act or Workplace Freedom Act. Advocates of this legislation claim that passage would mean economic benefit for workers at the state and local level, but evidence indicates otherwise. Workers in Right-to-Work states experience lower wages, less access to health care coverage, and higher rates of workplace injuries and fatalities.
If elected, would you support or oppose Right-to-Work legislation?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Do you support or oppose a worker’s right to organize and collectively bargain?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Technology – Remote-Controlled Locomotive Operations
Railroad companies are beginning to expand the use of Remote-Control Locomotives (RCLs) to include operations on main track, where interaction with the public is likely. As their name suggests, RCLs are controlled remotely and in most cases, no one is in the cab of the locomotive. RCL technology was designed for operations within the confines of a rail facility, operating on designated, protected tracks.
Do you support or oppose restricting the use of RCL technology to switching operations within the confines of a private rail facility?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Outside of the confines of a private rail facility, there is little or no protection for RCL operations. This has resulted in several major injuries to members of the public.
Comments
Do you support or oppose requiring any public highway/railroad crossing that an RCL operates over to be protected with four quadrant gates which completely restrict vehicular and pedestrian traffic from crossing and flashing lights and additional signage to warn the public that the locomotive may not be occupied?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Technology – Automation and Safety
A broad range of technologies are used in the railroad industry. Energy management systems monitor fuel consumption (think cruise control) while Positive Train Control (PTC) manages location data to prevent mainline collisions. Like many industries, the railroads are also exploring automation including autonomous operations, citing these existing technologies as their basis.
Do you support or oppose a human safety operator being physically present in any autonomous locomotive or railroad equipment used for revenue service such that they can monitor the equipment's performance and intervene if necessary, including operating or shutting off the equipment?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Do you support or oppose requiring any locomotive operating on main track to have active, functional PTC protection?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Passenger Rail Expansion in Ohio
The State of Ohio has identified two passenger rail corridors for study under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Corridor ID Program: Cleveland – Columbus – Cincinnati with Dayton (3C &D) and Cleveland – Toledo – Detroit. As these studies progress, there will be local match funding components required as part of the program, culminating with the upgrades of track and construction of additional stations required for the routes.
Do you support or oppose working to identify other routes in Ohio and working with federal partners to designate them for further study?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Do you support or oppose bipartisan infrastructure funding measures, such as the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act (IIJA) to provide resources to local and state governments to expand public transportation and rail?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Do you support or oppose partnering with established transit providers such as Amtrak that use qualified, certified, union labor instead of newer private companies that choose to use at-will employees?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments
Health and Wellness
The railroad industry has seen a substantial reduction in employment over the past six years, due to intentional reductions (furlough), attrition, and employees choosing to leave the industry. The industry has also imposed attendance policies that make it difficult to take time off without discipline.
Do you support or oppose paid sick leave for employees?
(Required)
Support
Oppose
Comments