WASHINGTON – The Association of American Railroads has asked the Department of Transportation to scuttle the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person train crew rule.
“For too long, outdated, arbitrary regulations have stood in the way of implementing data-backed solutions that can further strengthen railroads’ already remarkable safety record,” AAR CEO Ian Jefferies said in a statement. “As technology advances, railroads must be empowered to innovate — not be hamstrung by prescriptive rules, including some written more than 50 years ago. As a critical economic enabler, domestic growth and prosperity are contingent upon maintaining freight railroads’ ability to safely, reliably and affordably deliver for American businesses and communities.”
The controversial two-person crew rule, adopted during the Biden administration, conflicts with the Trump administration’s policy goals of regulatory reform, technological advancement, and data-driven rulemaking, the AAR said.
In its comments submitted this week regarding streamlining rail-related regulations, AAR called for an overall shift from rigid, obsolete regulations to performance-based standards that drive innovation and allow railroads to adopt modern technologies.
AAR also urged DOT to consider equity across all transportation modes when regulating new and emerging technologies. To align with the administration’s deregulatory priorities, AAR identified four specific actions USDOT should take:
- Repeal the Biden Administration’s 2024 crew staffing rule requiring each train be operated by a minimum of two crew members. The rule was a 2020 campaign promise that failed to quantify any safety benefit to justify its significant costs.
- Modernize track inspection regulations to facilitate the use of proven technology that offers enhanced safety benefits.
- Complete regulatory revisions initiated during the first Trump administration to reflect the ubiquitous use of modern, self-diagnostic signal equipment across the rail network.
- Finalize a previously proposed rule that would reflect advances in modern-day air brake technology by extending inspection intervals.
