General Information
Colorado legislator “deeply concerned” about oil trains from Utah project
(Source: Colorado Times Recorder, January 3, 2022) DENVER — The prospect of up to 350,000 barrels of oil a day rolling through Colorado on trains has caught the attention of Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet following the Dec. 15 U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) approval of the Uinta Basin Railway in northeastern Utah. Full story: Colorado Times…
Read MoreSenators seek study of potential Northwest passenger-rail service
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/22/21) A bipartisan group of U.S. senators representing the greater Northwest region this week called on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a Greater Northwest Working Group for the purpose of working toward the restoration and enhancement of passenger-rail service across the region. The lawmakers, led by Sen. Jon…
Read MoreNS to STB: “Service levels do not meet our customers’ or our expectations”
(Source: Railway Age, December 13, 2021) NEW YORK — In a Nov. 23 letter submitted to NS Chairman and CEO James A. Squires (who has since transferred his President role to Shaw), STB Chairman Oberman wrote that NS’s recent key operating metrics “are hovering far below 2019 comparables.” For the second reporting week of November…
Read More2022 Hoffa scholarship application process now open
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, December 13 — BLET members and their families are advised that the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has begun accepting applications for the 2022 award year. The Fund awards financial scholarships to the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamster members. Academic awards in the amount of $1,000 or $10,000 are awarded…
Read MoreHouse passes bill to ease supply-chain challenges
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 (H.R. 4996), which aims to help ease the nation’s supply-chain challenges. Introduced by U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), the bipartisan bill would increase the Federal Maritime Commission’s (FMC) authorizations by 10% over the previous fiscal year, and strengthen the agency’s oversight and…
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