General Information
AAR reports rail traffic for October and the week ending October 31, 2020
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, November 4, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 31, 2020, as well as volumes for October 2020. U.S. railroads originated 912,772 carloads in October 2020, down 6.6 percent, or 64,634 carloads, from October 2019. U.S.…
Read MoreRail industry ready to work with President-Elect Joe Biden
(Source: Railway Age, November 9, 2020) NEW YORK — With Joe Biden preparing to take the oath of office as the 46th president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2021, the Association of American Railroads (AAR), Amtrak and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) are “ready to work” with him, his Administration and Congress…
Read MoreRailroad Retirement benefits will see increase in 2021
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, October 30, 2020) CHICAGO — Most railroad retirement annuities, like social security benefits, will increase in January 2021 due to a rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of 2019 to the corresponding period of the current year. Cost-of-living increases are calculated in both the tier…
Read MoreRailroad retiree earnings limits set to increase in 2021
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, October 30, 2020) CHICAGO — Railroad retirement annuitants subject to earnings restrictions can earn more in 2021 without having their benefits reduced as a result of increases in earnings limits indexed to average national wage increases. Like social security benefits, some railroad retirement benefit payments are subject to deductions if…
Read MoreLegislation would end cut to railroad unemployment benefits
(Source: Progressive Railroading 11/04/2020) U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) last week introduced the Railroad Employee Equality and Fairness Act, which would end the sequester on the Railroad Retirement Board‘s (RRB) Unemployment Insurance Account. Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, and a subsequent sequestration order to implement mandatory spending cuts, railroad unemployment…
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