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A growing number of business groups are sounding the alarm about the so-called “Railway Safety Act,” warning that the bill would lead to supply chain disruptions and ultimately higher prices for American households.
The Railway Safety Act (RSA), reintroduced this year by congressional Democrats, is a handout to union bosses disguised as a transportation safety bill. Among other provisions, the Railway Safety Act would add a new two-person crew size mandate, whereby freight trains operated by Class I railroads must be staffed with at least two crew members even when one crew member suffices. Other provisions include the installation of new sensors to the tune of billions of dollars and new inspection requirements that increase the frequency and duration of manual inspections, even though automated track inspection technologies have been proven to make rail transportation safer.
A wide range of business groups are speaking out against the bill and its imposition of steep new costs on consumers.
In a letter to Congress in March, a coalition of 18 organizations representing agriculture businesses urged lawmakers to “avoid including concerning RSA provisions that could disrupt the transportation networks producers and agribusinesses rely upon every day.”
“Provisions of concern include train length limits, expanded manual inspection requirements that could slow the adoption of advanced inspection technologies, and other operating mandates that could constrain network flexibility and capacity,” the groups wrote.
“Policies that interfere with efficient rail operations risk creating system-wide congestion, increasing transportation costs, and reducing service reliability for agricultural shippers.”
The letter was signed by the Agricultural Retailers Association, American Cotton Shippers Association, American Feed Industry Association, AmericanHort, Growth Energy, International Fresh Produce Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Cotton Council, National Grain and Feed Association, North American Export Grain Association, North American Millers’ Association, Pet Food Institute, Renewable Fuels Association, The Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology, The Fertilizer Institute, USA Rice, and the US Rice Producers Association.
In a separate letter to Chairman Sam Graves of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) President & CEO Stephen Kaminski wrote that his industry is “deeply concerned about efforts to include provisions modeled on the Railway Safety Act (RSA) in upcoming transportation legislation.”
“The RSA would impose sweeping federal mandates on freight rail operations-including prescriptive crew requirements and expanded manual inspection mandates despite the absence of evidence that these measures would meaningfully improve safety outcomes. Freight rail safety has improved dramatically over the past two decades, driven by private investment, advanced inspection technologies, and data-driven safety practices,” wrote Kaminski.
“By contrast, the RSA would increase operating costs, constrain network flexibility, and slow the deployment of new safety technologies. For industries that rely on rail transportation to move energy commodities including propane these mandates would translate into higher logistics costs, reduced service efficiency, and ultimately higher costs for American consumers and businesses.”
Earlier this week, several leaders in the coal industry also sent a letter to congressional leaders in opposition to key provisions contained within the Railway Safety Act, warning of “higher energy costs, supply disruptions, and added pressure on domestic producers and consumers alike.”
The Railway Safety Act is misguided legislation that will impose burdensome new costs onto American families and businesses. As the opposition continues to mount among the business community, members of Congress should take these significant concerns into account.
Read more at ATR.org/RSA.
