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Progressive Railroading, 2/16:
 

New Jersey congressmen want greater transparency in rail safety audits

 

 

U.S. Reps. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) and Albio Sires (D-N.J.) yesterday introduced legislation that would require the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to notify Congress when they conduct safety audits of railroads or transit agencies.

The bill also would require FRA and FTA administrators to report audit results to Congress within 90 days of an audit's completion, according to a press release issued by Payne's office.

The proposed law follows the September 2016 New Jersey Transit train crash in Hoboken that left one person dead and 110 injured. After the incident, it was revealed that the FRA had been conducting a "deep audit" of NJ Transit at the time of the incident, according to Payne's release.

 

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[CNJRoss]

The Hill, Washington, DC 2/16:
 

Dems introduce train audit bill after deadly NJ Transit crash

 

Two New Jersey Democrats unveiled legislation on Wednesday that would require greater transparency about train safety audits after a deadly train crash in their state last year.

 

Reps. Donald Payne Jr. and Albio Sires co-authored the bill, which would inform the public whenever a railroad or rail transit agency is under investigation by the federal government for safety violations.

 

The measure comes in the wake of a fatal New Jersey Transit crash last fall, in which a packed commuter train slammed into the Hoboken station and killed a woman standing on the platform.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 3/30:

 

Bill would require FRA to notify Congress of passenger-rail safety audits

 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee yesterday approved a bill that would require the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to notify certain congressional members and committees when the agency begins a comprehensive safety audit of a commuter or intercity passenger-rail system.

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.), the bill would require the FRA to notify the affected congressional members within 10 business days of launching the safety assessment and 90 days after completing it. The FRA would notify the transportation committees in the House and Senate, as well as the congressional members from the states where the review is occurring.

"This legislation will bring much needed transparency to the federal oversight of commuter and intercity passenger rail," said Sires in a press release. "Lawmakers tasked with the oversight of railroads should know when a railroad is unsafe."

 

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