U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kans.) on June 28 reintroduced the Reliable Rail Service Act to clarify the railroads’ common carrier obligation and establish specific criteria for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to consider when evaluating whether that obligation is being met. They said it would “give shippers much-needed certainty that is currently lacking.”
The rail industry’s role in overcoming supply chain challenges was the theme of a May 11 hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. It was part of what the T&I Committee called its continued “focus on ongoing supply chain challenges throughout the transportation sector, with the goal of identifying potential legislative solutions.” Among the five witnesses was American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) President Chuck Baker, who urged Congress members “to wield their pen with precision.”
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has recognized Norfolk Southern (NS), Trinity Industries and GATX for safety and environmental stewardship as part of its 2023 Responsible Care® Awards program. Also, Nisus Corporation has
WATCHING WASHINGTON, RAILWAY AGE DECEMBER 2022 ISSUE: What is going on with Class I railroad labor relations and customer service?
“To date, steps by Class I railroads to boost hiring and other measures have not translated into meaningful service improvements,” the American Chemistry Council (ACC) told the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in an update earlier this month on rail challenges and their impact on U.S. chemical producers.
Legislation to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and “create a fair marketplace” for railroads and shippers was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Aug. 2. While the Association of American Railroads (AAR) called it an “untenable bill that could further exacerbate current supply chain and service challenges,” the American Chemistry Council (ACC) welcomed the “sensible legislative package.”
Norfolk Southern (NS) has been recognized for its carbon reduction efforts by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and Environment Finance, an online news and analysis service.
Railroad stakeholders on March 8 shared their views on the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) role in regulating the freight railroad industry as well as its reauthorization during a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. Testifying were representatives from the American Chemistry Council, Amtrak, Association of American Railroads, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, National Industrial Transportation League, and Private Railcar Food and Beverage Association.
American Chemistry Council members late last year reported experiencing shipping delays, shortages of raw materials and increased transportation costs—disruptions that “proved costly, with more than one-third of companies reporting additional costs exceeding $20 million over a one-year period,” according to an association survey.
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has denied a shipper group request to pause its proposed rulemaking on a voluntary arbitration program aimed at resolving small rate cases.
