Time for a New Class Exemption for Emergency Temporary Trackage Rights?
Time for a New Class Exemption for Emergency Temporary Trackage Rights? Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is initiating a rulemaking proceeding to establish a new “emergency temporary trackage
rights class exemption” that could be invoked during natural disasters, accidents or derailments; comments are due by July 12, 2021.
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) filed a petition for the proceeding on Oct. 9, 2020, explaining that an exemption “would allow emergency temporary trackage rights to take effect immediately, without need for the 30-day notice requirement under 49 C.F.R. § 1180.4(g)(1).”
SMART-TD on CPKC: Waiver OK, Keep Our Protections
SMART-TD on CPKC: Waiver OK, Keep Our Protections Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) President Jeremy R. Ferguson has sent a letter to Canadian Pacific (CP) President and CEO Keith Creel stating that the union he runs generally supports what CP and Kansas City Southern (KCS) are seeking from the Surface Transportation Board for their merger.
SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson
“Historically speaking, this type of transaction that is an ‘end to end merger’ has had very little adverse impact on SMART-TD membership and expands our ability for job security and economic longevity with the newly formed carrier,” Ferguson wrote in the April 14 letter (download below). “It is therefore the position of my office, currently, that we have no opposition to the Board (Surface Transportation Board) moving forw