"While no one should minimize the inconvenience and concern that the accident created for the residents of East Palestine, having a regulatory agenda determined by a single incident rather than the totality of the data would be a grievous error that would ultimately degrade the safety of freight transportation."
"Rail safety, by virtually every measure, has been steadily improving for decades-with derailments down 44% since 2000 according to Federal Railroad Administration data."
"Its proposed regulations would do little to improve rail safety but it would divert an enormous amount of freight from rail to trucks, which represents a much greater safety risk for Americans."
As Congress prepares to reauthorize surface transportation programs by September 2026, the Railway Safety Act of 2025 faces potential inclusion despite questionable merit. Prompted by the 2023 East Palestine derailment involving a Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride, the bill proposes regulations targeting wheel bearing failures. However, rail safety has steadily improved for decades, with derailments declining 44% since 2000. The proposed regulations would require approximately two billion dollars in industry investment to address wheel bearing failures, which cause only 5% of derailments. Implementing regulations based on a single incident rather than comprehensive data risks degrading overall freight transportation safety by diverting cargo from rail to trucks, which present greater safety risks to Americans.
#railway-safety-act #surface-transportation-reauthorization #freight-transportation-safety #east-palestine-derailment #regulatory-policy
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