Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 15 attorneys general in support of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rule requiring that freight and passenger trains generally be staffed with at least two crew members.
Raoul and the coalition explain in their brief that recent events have shown the consequences of unsafe train operations are devastating to local communities across the country. Train accidents, including derailments, kill and injure residents, burden local resources and leave behind environmental damage that requires substantial time and funding to remediate.
“Research shows that crew members operate trains more safely when working as part of a team because they can coordinate with one another, provide backup in emergency situations, solve problems together and protect against fatigue,” Raoul said. “That’s why I am leading my fellow attorneys general in support of the Federal Railroad Administration’s minimum staffing requirement. I will continue to advocate for safe working conditions and safe railways in Illinois and across the country.”
Raoul and the attorneys general argue that the minimum requirements under the rule promote a safer work environment for crew members, who work long and often irregular hours while performing physically and cognitively demanding tasks. Promoting safer work environments also lessens the risk of train accidents, which cause harm to states’ residents and the environment.
The attorneys general explain that the FRA’s rule is consistent with research and necessary for public safety. They argue that it strikes a balance between ensuring the safe operation of trains and authorizing the use of technological advancements by allowing trains to be operated by one-person crews only when railroads complete a risk assessment and demonstrate that the train can be operated safely.
Raoul is joined in filing the brief by the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington.
