In a positive development for rail safety, Sean Duffy, the newly-confirmed Secretary of U.S. Department of Transportation, testified that he would support the Federal Railroad Administration’s minimum crew size regulation during a Senate confirmation hearing on January 15. Duffy was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as the 20th Secretary of Transportation on January 28.
During the January 15 hearing, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) said that having multiple crew members on board during the 2023 East Palestine derailment helped prevent the disaster from being worse. The Senator also said that technology is no replacement for having multiple crew members in the cab of the locomotive. In response to a direct question from Sen. Markey, Duffy acknowledged that he would support the FRA’s regulation requiring two-person train crews.
Sen. Markey said, “I have repeatedly urged transportation leaders to prioritize safety, and I am glad to hear you will do so.”
C-SPAN has uploaded a video of the January 15 hearing. The Markey-Duffy exchange begins at the 2:08:00 mark.
Photo: USDOT