FEDERAL RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
[[Page 122 STAT. 4848]]
Public Law 110-432
110th Congress
An Act
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prevent railroad fatalities,
injuries, and hazardous materials releases, to authorize the Federal
Railroad Safety Administration, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 16,
2008 - [H.R. 2095]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
DIVISION A-- <<NOTE: Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.>> RAIL SAFETY
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS; AMENDMENT OF TITLE 49.
(a) Short Title.--This <<NOTE: 49 USC 20101 note.>> division may be
cited as the ``Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this division is
as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; amendment of title 49.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE I--RAILROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Sec. 101. Federal Railroad Administration officers and duties.
Sec. 102. Railroad safety strategy.
Sec. 103. Railroad safety risk reduction program.
Sec. 104. Implementation of positive train control.
Sec. 105. Railroad safety technology grants.
Sec. 106. Reports on statutory mandates and recommendations.
Sec. 107. Rulemaking process.
Sec. 108. Hours-of-service reform.
Sec. 109. Protection of railroad safety risk analyses information.
Sec. 110. Pilot projects.
SEC. 108. HOURS-OF-SERVICE REFORM.
(a) Change in Definition of Signal Employee.--Section
21101(4) <<NOTE: 49 USC 21101.>> is amended by striking ``employed by a
railroad carrier''.
(b) Limitation on Duty Hours of Train Employees.--Section 21103 is
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (d) of this
section, a railroad carrier and its officers and agents may not require
or allow a train employee to--
``(1) remain on duty, go on duty, wait for deadhead
transportation, be in deadhead transportation from a duty
assignment to the place of final release, or be in any other
mandatory service for the carrier in any calendar month where
the employee has spent a total of 276 hours--
``(A) on duty;
``(B) waiting for deadhead transportation, or in
deadhead transportation from a duty assignment to the
place of final release; or
``(C) in any other mandatory service for the
carrier;
``(2) remain or go on duty for a period in excess of 12
consecutive hours;
``(3) remain or go on duty unless that employee has had at
least 10 consecutive hours off duty during the prior 24 hours;
or
``(4) remain or go on duty after that employee has initiated
an on-duty period each day for--
``(A) 6 consecutive days, unless that employee has
had at least 48 consecutive hours off duty at the
employee's home terminal during which time the employee
is unavailable for any service for any railroad carrier
except that--
``(i) an employee may work a seventh
consecutive day if that employee completed his or
her final period of on-duty time on his or her
sixth consecutive day at a terminal other than his
or her home terminal; and
``(ii) any employee who works a seventh
consecutive day pursuant to subparagraph (i) shall
have at least 72 consecutive hours off duty at the
employee's home terminal during which time the
employee is unavailable for any service for any
railroad carrier; or
``(B) except as provided in subparagraph (A), 7
consecutive days, unless that employee has had at least
72 consecutive hours off duty at the employee's home
terminal during which time the employee is unavailable
for any service for any railroad carrier, if--
``(i) for a period of 18 months following the
date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement
Act of 2008, an existing collective bargaining
agreement expressly provides for such a schedule
or, following the expiration of 18 months after
the date of enactment of the Rail Safety
Improvement Act of 2008, collective
[[Page 122 STAT. 4861]]
bargaining agreements entered into during such
period expressly provide for such a schedule;
``(ii) such a schedule is provided for by a
pilot program authorized by a collective
bargaining agreement; or
``(iii) such a schedule is provided for by a
pilot program under section 21108 of this chapter
related to employees' work and rest cycles.
The Secretary may waive <<NOTE: Waiver authority.>> paragraph (4),
consistent with the procedural requirements of section 20103, if a
collective bargaining agreement provides a different arrangement and
such an arrangement is in the public interest and consistent with
railroad safety.'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d) and
inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Limbo Time Limitation and Additional Rest Requirement.--
``(1) A railroad carrier may not require or allow an
employee--
``(A) to exceed a total of 40 hours per calendar
month spent--
``(i) waiting for deadhead transportation; or
``(ii) in deadhead transportation from a duty
assignment to the place of final release,
following a period of 12 consecutive hours on duty that
is neither time on duty nor time off duty, not including
interim rest periods, during the period from the date of
enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 to
one year after such date of enactment; and
``(B) to exceed a total of 30 hours per calendar
month spent--
``(i) waiting for deadhead transportation; or
``(ii) in deadhead transportation from a duty
assignment to the place of final release,
following a period of 12 consecutive hours on duty that
is neither time on duty nor time off duty, not including
interim rest periods, during the period beginning one
year after the date of enactment of the Rail Safety
Improvement Act of 2008 except that the Secretary may
further limit the monthly limitation pursuant to
regulations prescribed under section 21109.
``(2) <<NOTE: Applicability.>> The limitations in paragraph
(1) shall apply unless the train carrying the employee is
directly delayed by--
``(A) a casualty;
``(B) an accident;
``(C) an act of God;
``(D) a derailment;
``(E) a major equipment failure that prevents the
train from advancing; or
``(F) a delay resulting from a cause unknown and
unforeseeable to a railroad carrier or its officer or
agent in charge of the employee when the employee left a
terminal.
``(3) <<NOTE: Reports. Procedures.>> Each railroad carrier
shall report to the Secretary, in accordance with procedures
established by the Secretary, each instance where an employee
subject to this section spends time waiting for deadhead
transportation or in deadhead
[[Page 122 STAT. 4862]]
transportation from a duty assignment to the place of final
release in excess of the requirements of paragraph (1).
``(4) If--
``(A) the time spent waiting for deadhead
transportation or in deadhead transportation from a duty
assignment to the place of final release that is not
time on duty, plus
``(B) the time on duty,
exceeds 12 consecutive hours, the railroad carrier and its
officers and agents shall provide the employee with additional
time off duty equal to the number of hours by which such sum
exceeds 12 hours.''; and
(3) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(e) Communication During Time Off Duty.--During a train employee's
minimum off-duty period of 10 consecutive hours, as provided under
subsection (a) or during an interim period of at least 4 consecutive
hours available for rest under subsection (b)(7) or during additional
off-duty hours under subsection (c)(4), a railroad carrier, and its
officers and agents, shall not communicate with the train employee by
telephone, by pager, or in any other manner that could reasonably be
expected to disrupt the employee's rest. Nothing in this subsection
shall prohibit communication necessary to notify an employee of an
emergency situation, as defined by the Secretary. The Secretary
may <<NOTE: Waiver authority.>> waive the requirements of this paragraph
for commuter or intercity passenger railroads if the Secretary
determines that such a waiver will not reduce safety and is necessary to
maintain such railroads' efficient operations and on-time performance of
its trains.''.
(c) Limitation on Duty Hours of Signal Employees.--Section
21104 <<NOTE: 49 USC 21104.>> is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (c) of this
section, a railroad carrier and its officers and agents may not require
or allow its signal employees to remain or go on duty and a contractor
or subcontractor to a railroad carrier and its officers and agents may
not require or allow its signal employees to remain or go on duty --
``(1) for a period in excess of 12 consecutive hours; or
``(2) unless that employee has had at least 10 consecutive
hours off duty during the prior 24 hours.'';
(2) by striking ``duty, except that up to one hour of that
time spent returning from the final trouble call of a period of
continuous or broken service is time off duty.'' in subsection
(b)(3) and inserting ``duty.'';
(3) by inserting ``A signal employee may not be allowed to
remain or go on duty under the emergency authority provided
under this subsection to conduct routine repairs, routine
maintenance, or routine inspection of signal systems.'' after
``service.'' in subsection (c); and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Communication During Time Off Duty.--During a signal
employee's minimum off-duty period of 10 consecutive hours, as provided
under subsection (a), a railroad carrier or a contractor or
subcontractor to a railroad carrier, and its officers and agents, shall
not communicate with the signal employee by telephone, by pager, or in
any other manner that could reasonably be expected to disrupt the
employee's rest. Nothing in this subsection shall
[[Page 122 STAT. 4863]]
prohibit communication necessary to notify an employee of an emergency
situation, as defined by the Secretary.
``(e) Exclusivity.--The hours of service, duty hours, and rest
periods of signal employees shall be governed exclusively by this
chapter. Signal employees operating motor vehicles shall not be subject
to any hours of service rules, duty hours or rest period rules
promulgated by any Federal authority, including the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration, other than the Federal Railroad
Administration.''.
(d) Alternate Hours of Service Regime.--
(1) Application of hours of service regime.--Section 21102
is <<NOTE: 49 USC 21102.>> amended--
(A) by striking the section caption and inserting
the following:
``Sec. 21102. Nonapplication, exemption, and alternate hours of
service regime''; and
(B) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(c) Application of Hours of Service Regime to Commuter and
Intercity Passenger Railroad Train Employees.—
``(1) When providing commuter rail passenger transportation
or intercity rail passenger transportation, the limitations on
duty hours for train employees of railroad carriers, including
public authorities operating passenger service, shall be solely
governed by old section 21103 until the earlier of--
``(A) the effective date of regulations prescribed
by the Secretary under section 21109(b) of this chapter;
or
``(B) the date that is 3 years following the date of
enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
``(2) After the date on which old section 21103 ceases to
apply, pursuant to paragraph (1), to the limitations on duty
hours for train employees of railroad carriers with respect to
the provision of commuter rail passenger transportation or
intercity rail passenger transportation, the limitations on duty
hours for train employees of such railroad carriers shall be
governed by new section 21103, except as provided in paragraph
(3).
``(3) After the effective date of the regulations prescribed
by the Secretary under section 21109(b) of this title, such
carriers shall--
``(A) comply with the limitations on duty hours for
train employees with respect to the provision of
commuter rail passenger transportation or intercity rail
passenger transportation as prescribed by such
regulations; and
``(B) be exempt from complying with the provisions
of old section 21103 and new section 21103 for such
employees.
``(4) In this subsection:
``(A) The terms `commuter rail passenger
transportation' and `intercity rail passenger
transportation' have the meaning given those terms in
section 24102 of this title.
``(C) The term `new section 21103' means section
21103 of this chapter as amended by the Rail Safety
Improvement Act of 2008.
[[Page 122 STAT. 4864]]
``(D) The term `old section 21103' means section
21103 of this chapter as it was in effect on the day
before the enactment of that Act.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter
211 is amended by striking the item relating to section 21102
and inserting the following:
``21102. Nonapplication, exemption, and alternate hours of service
regime.''.
(e) Regulatory Authority.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 211 is amended by adding at the end
thereof the following:
``Sec. 21109. Regulatory authority
``(a) In General.--In order to improve safety and reduce employee
fatigue, the Secretary may prescribe regulations--
``(1) to reduce the maximum hours an employee may be
required or allowed to go or remain on duty to a level less than
the level established under this chapter;
``(2) to increase the minimum hours an employee may be
required or allowed to rest to a level greater than the level
established under this chapter;
``(3) to limit or eliminate the amount of time an employee
spends waiting for deadhead transportation or in deadhead
transportation from a duty assignment to the place of final
release that is considered neither on duty nor off duty under
this chapter;
``(4) for signal employees--
``(A) to limit or eliminate the amount of time that
is considered to be neither on duty nor off duty under
this chapter that an employee spends returning from an
outlying worksite after scheduled duty hours or
returning from a trouble call to the employee's
headquarters or directly to the employee's residence;
and
``(B) to increase the amount of time that
constitutes a release period, that does not break the
continuity of service and is considered time off duty;
and
``(5) to require other changes to railroad operating and
scheduling practices, including unscheduled duty calls, that
could affect employee fatigue and railroad safety.
``(b) Regulations Governing the Hours of Service of Train Employees
of Commuter and Intercity Passenger Railroad Carriers.--
Within <<NOTE: Deadline. Orders.>> 3 years after the date of enactment
of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the Secretary shall
prescribe regulations and issue orders to establish hours of service
requirements for train employees engaged in commuter rail passenger
transportation and intercity rail passenger transportation (as defined
in section 24102 of this title) that may differ from the requirements of
this chapter. Such regulations and orders may address railroad operating
and scheduling practices, including unscheduled duty calls,
communications during time off duty, and time spent waiting for deadhead
transportation or in deadhead transportation from a duty assignment to
the place of final release, that could affect employee fatigue and
railroad safety.
``(c) Considerations.--In issuing regulations under subsection (a)
the Secretary shall consider scientific and medical research related to
fatigue and fatigue abatement, railroad scheduling and operating
practices that improve safety or reduce employee fatigue,
[[Page 122 STAT. 4865]]
a railroad's use of new or novel technology intended to reduce or
eliminate human error, the variations in freight and passenger railroad
scheduling practices and operating conditions, the variations in duties
and operating conditions for employees subject to this chapter, a
railroad's required or voluntary use of fatigue management plans
covering employees subject to this chapter, and any other relevant
factors.
``(d) Time Limits.--
``(1) If the Secretary determines that regulations are
necessary under subsection (a), the Secretary shall first
request that the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee develop
proposed regulations and, if the Committee accepts the task,
provide the Committee with a reasonable time period in which to
complete the task.
``(2) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> If the Secretary requests that the
Railroad Safety Advisory Committee accept the task of developing
regulations under subsection (b) and the Committee accepts the
task, the Committee shall reach consensus on the rulemaking
within 18 months after accepting the task.
If <<NOTE: Regulations. Deadline.>> the Committee does not reach
consensus within 18 months after the Secretary makes the
request, the Secretary shall prescribe appropriate regulations
within 18 months.
``(3) If <<NOTE: Regulations. Deadline.>> the Secretary does
not request that the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee accept
the task of developing regulations under subsection (b), the
Secretary shall prescribe regulations within 3 years after the
date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
``(e) Pilot Projects.--
``(1) In general.--Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 2
years after the date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement
Act of 2008, the Secretary shall conduct at least 2 pilot
projects of sufficient size and scope to analyze specific
practices which may be used to reduce fatigue for train and
engine and other railroad employees as follows:
``(A) A pilot project at a railroad or railroad
facility to evaluate the efficacy of communicating to
employees notice of their assigned shift time 10 hours
prior to the beginning of their assigned shift as a
method for reducing employee fatigue.
``(B) A pilot project at a railroad or railroad
facility to evaluate the efficacy of requiring railroads
who use employee scheduling practices that subject
employees to periods of unscheduled duty calls to assign
employees to defined or specific unscheduled call shifts
that are followed by shifts not subject to call, as a
method for reducing employee fatigue.
``(2) Waiver.--The Secretary may temporarily waive the
requirements of this section, if necessary, to complete a pilot
project under this subsection.
``(f) Duty Call Defined.--In this section the term `duty call' means
a telephone call that a railroad places to an employee to notify the
employee of his or her assigned shift time.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--
(A) The chapter analysis for chapter 211 is amended
by adding at the end thereof the following:
``21109. Regulatory authority.''.
[[Page 122 STAT. 4866]]
(B) The first sentence of section
21303(a)(1) <<NOTE: 49 USC 21303.>> is amended by
inserting ``including section 21103 (as such section was
in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the
Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008),'' after ``this
title,'' the second place it appears.
(f) Record <<NOTE: 49 USC 21101 note.>> Keeping and Reporting.--
(1) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe a
regulation revising the requirements for recordkeeping and
reporting for Hours of Service of Railroad Employees contained
in part 228 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations--
(A) to adjust record keeping and reporting
requirements to support compliance with chapter 211 of
title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act;
(B) to authorize electronic record keeping, and
reporting of excess service, consistent with appropriate
considerations for user interface; and
(C) to require training of affected employees and
supervisors, including training of employees in the
entry of hours of service data.
(2) Procedure.--In lieu of issuing a notice of proposed
rulemaking as contemplated by section 553 of title 5, United
States Code, the Secretary may utilize the Railroad Safety
Advisory Committee to assist in development of the regulation.
The Secretary may propose and adopt amendments to the revised
regulations thereafter as may be necessary in light of
experience under the revised requirements.
(g) Delay <<NOTE: 49 USC 21101 note.>> in Implementation of Duty
Hours Limitation Changes.--The <<NOTE: Effective date.>> amendments made
by subsections (a), (b), and (c) shall take effect 9 months after the
date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 109. PROTECTION OF RAILROAD SAFETY RISK ANALYSES INFORMATION.
(a) Amendment.--Subchapter I of chapter 201 is amended by adding at
the end thereof the following:
``Sec. 20118. Prohibition on public disclosure of railroad safety
analysis records
``(a) In General.--Except as necessary for the Secretary of
Transportation or another Federal agency to enforce or carry out any
provision of Federal law, any part of any record (including, but not
limited to, a railroad carrier's analysis of its safety risks and its
statement of the mitigation measures it has identified with which to
address those risks) that the Secretary has obtained pursuant to a
provision of, or regulation or order under, this chapter related to the
establishment, implementation, or modification of a railroad safety risk
reduction program or pilot program is exempt from the requirements of
section 552 of title 5 if the record is--
``(1) supplied to the Secretary pursuant to that safety risk
reduction program or pilot program; or
``(2) made available for inspection and copying by an
officer, employee, or agent of the Secretary pursuant to that
safety risk reduction program or pilot program.
``(b) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may
disclose any part of any record comprised of facts otherwise available
to the public if, in the Secretary's sole discretion, the
[[Page 122 STAT. 4867]]
Secretary determines that disclosure would be consistent with the
confidentiality needed for that safety risk reduction program or pilot
program.
``(c) Discretionary Prohibition of Disclosure.--The Secretary may
prohibit the public disclosure of risk analyses or risk mitigation
analyses that the Secretary has obtained under other provisions of, or
regulations or orders under, this chapter if the Secretary determines
that the prohibition of public disclosure is necessary to promote
railroad safety.
``Sec. 20119. Study on use of certain reports and surveys
``(a) Study.--The Federal Railroad Administration shall complete a
study to evaluate whether it is in the public interest, including public
safety and the legal rights of persons injured in railroad accidents, to
withhold from discovery or admission into evidence in a Federal or State
court proceeding for damages involving personal injury or wrongful death
against a carrier any report, survey, schedule, list, or data compiled
or collected for the purpose of evaluating, planning, or implementing a
railroad safety risk reduction program required under this chapter,
including a railroad carrier's analysis of its safety risks and its
statement of the mitigation measures with which it will address those
risks. In conducting this study, the Secretary shall solicit input from
the railroads, railroad non-profit employee labor organizations,
railroad accident victims and their families, and the general public.
``(b) Authority.--Following completion of the study required under
subsection (a), the Secretary, if in the public interest, including
public safety and the legal rights of persons injured in railroad
accidents, may prescribe a rule subject to notice and comment to address
the results of the study. Any <<NOTE: Effective date.>> such rule
prescribed pursuant to this subsection shall not become effective until
1 year after its adoption.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 201 is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 20117 the
following:
``
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Brogan, Robert (FRA) |
| Last Modified By | SYSTEM |
| File Modified | 2018-08-29 |
| File Created | 2018-08-29 |