Teamsters Rail Conference calls on VP Vance to “hold railroad executives’ feet to the fire in pursuit of safer railroads.”

Monday, Feb. 3 marks two years since the toxic train wreck and fire caused by the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio. Shortly after the wreck and a visit by then-candidate Donald Trump to the crash site, then-Senator J.D. Vance became the co-sponsor of the Railway Safety Act. The legislation called for two-person crews, phasing in in newer, safer tank cars, increasing fines against railroads for safety violations, and other reforms.

“J.D. Vance helped launch rail safety legislation in the Senate,” said Tony D. Cardwell, the president of the Teamster-affiliated Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED). “Now that he’s Vice President it’s time to bring proposed rail safety reforms across the finish line, especially as the railroads back away from voluntary commitments made in the aftermath of East Palestine.”

One month after the tragedy in East Palestine, in March 2023, leaders of America’s largest railroads promised to voluntarily adopt the Confidential Close Call Reporting System, often referred to as C3RS.

Similar to what’s been used successfully in commercial aviation, C3RS allows railroad workers to confidentially report near-miss accidents and safety lapses without fear of reprisal. It also allows railroads, rail unions and safety experts to collect data and spot areas of concern.

Except for a pilot project at Norfolk Southern, the Class I freight railroads did not live up to those promises. Additional reforms included in the proposed rail safety legislation introduced by Vance and former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown stalled in Congress.

“We hope that in his new role as Vice President he will use the bully pulpit and continue to push the railroads on C3RS and other safety measures,” said Eddie Hall the National President of the Teamster-affiliated Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

The Teamsters Rail Conference represents the majority of unionized rail workers in the United States, its president, Mark Wallace, who also serves as First Vice President of BLET summed it up this way: “The nation just elected a leader who put the spotlight on rail safety two years ago. We ask that he continue to hold railroad executives’ feet to the fire in the pursuit of safer railroads. If we don’t enact safety reforms called for in the legislation Vance introduced, another East Palestine-type tragedy is likely to occur.”