Surface Transportation Board

STB, new chair urged to modernize freight rail policies

A composite photograph. On the left is a train and on the right is a man.

Martin J. “Marty” Oberman was designated by President Joe Biden on Thursday as chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Oberman’s term as an STB member will expire on Jan. 31, 2023. He was sworn in to serve his first term on Jan. 22, 2019, and he became vice chairman on Jan. 6, 2020.

The chairmanship role typically sets the tone for what proceedings and issues the board will focus on for the year.

Trade groups praised Oberman’s appointment. Association of American Railroads (AAR)...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/stb-new-chair-urged-to-modernize-freight-rail-policies

US Class I rail headcount tumbles 14% in 2020

A photograph of a Union Pacific train.

The U.S. operations of the Class I railroads employed the fewest number of employees in 2020 since at least 2012.

Headcount at U.S. Class I rail operations totaled 120,492 employees last year, a 14% decrease compared with 140,185 employees in 2019, according to data that companies provided to the Surface Transportation Board (STB). This annual average was the lowest since at least 2012, the earliest year that FreightWaves has data available. 

Within that total, headcount for train and engine...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-class-i-rail-headcount-tumbles-14-in-2020

Schultz sworn in to round out Surface Transportation Board

A photograph of a train passing by a railroad crossing.

Michelle Schultz was sworn in Monday as the newest member of the Surface Transportation Board.

Her appointment follows that of Robert Primus, who was sworn in last week. 

Schultz’s appointment enables the board to have five members, which is the full complement of members that STB can have under federal guidelines. Until now, the board hasn’t had five members since federal law changed the membership roster in 2015 from three board members to five. Having five members enables board members to meet...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/schultz-sworn-in-to-round-out-surface-transportation-board

STB, IANA announce leadership appointments

A photograph of a train hauling intermodal containers.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) announced appointments this week.

Surface Transportation Board gets new member

Robert Primus is officially a member of the Surface Transportation Board. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., officiated the swearing-in ceremony Thursday.

Primus was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 18. Another nominee, Michelle Schultz, is pending confirmation.

Primus most recently worked as chief of staff to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/stb-iana-announce-leadership-appointments

Rail shippers give policy wish list for 2021

A photograph of a train hauling intermodal containers.

With a new year and a new White House administration ahead, rail shippers and industry observers say these are some key issues they hope will be addressed soon:

Issues before the Surface Transportation Board

Rail shippers and others are looking forward to having a full complement of five members on the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Although it’s still uncertain how the two new members, Robert Primus and Michelle Schultz, will respond to issues, having “fresh eyes” on the several outstanding...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/rail-shippers-give-policy-wish-list-for-2021

Class I rail headcount plunges to new low in November

A photograph of a train crossing over a bridge. The train is hauling intermodal containers.

Employee headcount among the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads in November was at its lowest level since at least early 2012.

U.S. operations of the Class I railroads employed 114,960 in mid-November, which is 13.7% lower than November 2019 and 1.58% lower than October, according to data submitted to the Surface Transportation Board. 

November’s total is the lowest in 2020 and the lowest total since January 2012, which is the earliest date for which FreightWaves has data.

All six employee...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/class-i-rail-headcount-plunges-to-new-low-in-november

Amtrak’s on-time performance metric needs tweaks: AAR

A photograph of an Amtrak train traveling across a grassy field.

Although the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has finalized the rule that defines on-time performance metrics for Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is hoping some outstanding issues will be addressed following the rule’s implementation.

One of the issues is ensuring that Amtrak’s published schedule for the traveling public gets updated so that it can better align with FRA’s on-time performance (OTP) metrics.

“While the proposed rule uses published schedules to measure the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/amtraks-on-time-performance-metric-needs-tweaks-aar

And then there were five: Senate approves two new STB members

A photograph of intermodal containers and railcars parked in a rail yard.

Freight railroads and shippers alike praised the Senate confirmation this week of two additional members to the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The confirmations of Robert Primus and Michelle Schultz come at a time when the board is addressing long-standing issues surrounding revenue adequacy and grappling over shippers’ concerns about rail service.

The confirmations of Primus and Schultz also mean that the board will now be fully staffed. The Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/and-then-there-were-five-senate-approves-two-new-stb-members

FreightWaves Classics: Conrail divided between CSX and Norfolk Southern

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected] 

The many industries that make up the world of freight have undergone tremendous change over the past several decades. Each week, FreightWaves explores the archives of American Shipper’s nearly 70-year-old collection of shipping and maritime publications to showcase interesting freight stories of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classics-conrail-divided-between-csx-and-norfolk-southern

Could autonomous trucks in dedicated lanes someday kill rail?

A photograph of a train traveling across a barren mountain range.

Although decades away, the deployment of autonomous trucks in truck-only lanes could potentially be the death knell for the freight railroads should the railroads do nothing to ensure their relevance, an economist said during a recent panel on legacy of the Staggers Rail Act and the Motor Carrier Act.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) “is going to be regulating a graveyard. There’s a good chance that rail won’t survive once we start moving to autonomous vehicles,” said Clifford Winston,...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/could-autonomous-trucks-someday-kill-rail

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