President Biden rolled out his pro-union plan to rebuild the nation’s roads, bridges, water pipes, and expand broadband access during his first address to a joint session of Congress. President Biden also mentioned jobs more than 40 times during his address, touting not only the addition of 1.3 million jobs during his administration but the […]
The agency is sending out surveys for minority-owned and women-owned businesses to determine if there is a level playing field when applying for subcontracts from grantees receiving federal funds. By masstransitmag.com The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is conducting a first-of-its-kind nationwide small minority- and woman-owned business disparity study to determine whether the playing field is level […]
By David Shepardson for reuters.com (Reuters) – U.S. government-supported passenger railroad Amtrak said on Thursday that without a new government bailout it could be forced to cut more spending and train services which could lead to the loss of another 2,400 jobs. Amtrak last month told Congress it needs up to $4.9 billion in government […]
American Public Transportation Association (APTA) leaders are expressing concern that the latest COVID-19 pandemic relief funding package under consideration in Congress does not include additional emergency funding for public transportation. Senate Republicans, after negotiations with the White House, on Monday unveiled a series of bills in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that includes funding for certain transportation priorities. […]
Thousands of commuter rail workers have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, only to contract the disease, resulting in many deaths. With CARES Act funding due to expire, the IAM and TCU-IAM demand that Congress provide additional funding to ensure the safety and security of all employees. TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to Support Commuter Rail Service […]
The ultimate lesson of James J. Hill and his Great Northern Railroad is that the “winners” government picks today are the “losers” of tomorrow. A famous saying, especially prescient in times like this, is “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Last month, Congress mortgaged the nation’s future in […]
Last week, Congress passed and the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, H.R. 748. This $2 trillion bill is meant to help stimulate the American economy, and weather the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With millions filing for unemployment, this couldn’t have come at a better time. TCU’s Legislative Department has been on […]
In response to the decreased demand for rail services due to COVID-19, U.S. rail systems are considering severe measures to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. rail systems face sharp declines in revenue due to a drastic decrease in demand for rail services caused by COVID-19. IAM and TCU-IAM members proudly work in the […]
In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate committees on appropriations, the Rail Passengers Association asked Congress to also provide funding for intercity rail operators, commuter railroads, and public transit agencies to offset their steep revenue losses. Please join us in asking Congress to provide financial assistance to keep Amtrak, private rail operators, and transit agencies […]
Written by Jim Blaze, Contributing Editor for railwayage.com A headline story says that U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has introduced a bill that would allow Amtrak to sue the freight railroads for preventing Amtrak from meeting suitable on-time performance standards. The senator alleges, “By empowering Amtrak to hold the freight railroads accountable … we can improve […]