BLET News
Letters citing rail service crisis continue to circulate at STB
(Source: Progressive Railroading 07/01/2022) Surface Transportation Board members and other federal officials continue to hear from rail shippers and other rail industry stakeholders about ongoing freight-rail service issues and the supply-chain crisis. This week, more than 50 Democratic and Republican members of Congress asked the STB to address the problems, particularly those disrupting U.S. food production.…
Read MoreIs the perfect storm brewing for railroad and port logistics failures?
(Source: Progressive Farmer, June 27, 2022) Rail and port workers in the U.S. and Canada are in the midst of contract negotiations, and a failure to come to an agreement could be a disaster for West Coast ports and railroads. Currently, there are three major transportation-related groups in contract talks with one already declaring a…
Read MoreRail traffic down for 18th week in a row
(Source: Railway Age, June 29, 2022) NEW YORK — For the week ending June 25, 2022 (Week 25), U.S. rail traffic was 493,374 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.4% from the prior-year period, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported June 29. Class I railroads hauled 229,857 carloads, down 3.1%, and 263,517 containers and trailers,…
Read MoreAAR: Rail traffic declines for 17th straight week as of June 18, 2022
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, June 22, 2022.) BLET Editor’s Note: This is the 17th consecutive week that total traffic has declined. Total traffic gains were last seen in Week 7, which ended Feb. 17, 2022. WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 18, 2022.…
Read MoreRRB Q&A: Medicare for railroad families
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, June 20, 2022) CHICAGO — The Federal Medicare program provides hospital and medical insurance protection for railroad workers and their families, just as it does for workers under social security. Medicare has the following parts: Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities…
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