BNSF Railway, ATDA and FRA reach C3RS safety agreement
25 Abril 2024 - 11:00AM
Business Wire
BNSF Railway (BNSF) and The American Train Dispatchers
Association (ATDA), along with the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA), have reached a landmark agreement to participate in a
one-year pilot program of the FRA’s Confidential Close Call
Reporting System (C3RS).
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As part of the C3RS pilot program, the approximately 650 BNSF
train dispatchers represented by ATDA can report unsafe events
confidentially while being protected from BNSF disciplinary action
and FRA enforcement.
“BNSF is committed to improving safety on our railroad and is
proud to have reached an agreement to voluntarily participate with
ATDA in C3RS,” said BNSF President & CEO Katie Farmer. “We hope
this program will further empower our employees to provide
confidential feedback on critical safety issues in an actionable,
timely manner. We look forward to working with the FRA and ATDA on
this positive step forward.”
“The adoption of the C3RS at BNSF marks a pivotal moment for
rail safety,” said ATDA President Ed Dowell. “As a program focused
on proactive safety measures, it will serve as the new standard for
reporting, understanding, and preventing rail incidents.
Furthermore, this would not have been possible without the BNSF’s
willingness to be the first Class I railroad to reach a C3RS
agreement with ATDA. The ATDA is proud to be the first organization
to reach C3RS agreement with BNSF.”
C3RS is an FRA-sponsored program that improves railroad safety
through a confidential and non-punitive reporting process. FRA has
partnered with NASA to operate C3RS as an independent third-party.
The program will permit train dispatchers to confidentially report
close call events (which include unsafe practices, behaviors, or
situations that cause railroad safety concerns) and details of
those events to NASA through a secure website or a written form.
NASA will de-identify the reports and share them with a Peer Review
Team (PRT), which is composed of representatives from the ATDA,
BNSF, and FRA. The PRT will then review the reports and develop
recommended corrective actions that can help improve railroad
safety.
“The Federal Railroad Administration is pleased that ATDA and
BNSF came together to join C3RS, a vital safety program, and we are
confident that providing opportunities for dispatchers to share
their experiences will have real results on rail safety,” said FRA
Administrator Amit Bose. “Rail workers have experience and
expertise that are vitally important, and hearing from them can
lead to proactive safety measures. The C3RS program is a proven,
long-standing avenue to achieve just this, and that’s why USDOT and
FRA have been working so hard to secure Class I freight railroad
participation in the C3RS program.”
About BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight
transportation companies. BNSF operates approximately 32,500 route
miles of track in 28 states and also operates in three Canadian
provinces. BNSF is one of the top transporters of consumer goods,
grain and agricultural products, low-sulfur coal, and industrial
goods such as petroleum, chemicals, housing materials, food and
beverages. BNSF’s shipments help feed, clothe, supply, and power
American homes and businesses every day. BNSF and its employees
have developed one of the most technologically advanced, and
efficient railroads in the industry. We work continuously to
improve the value of the safety, service, energy, and environmental
benefits we provide to our customers and the communities we serve.
You can learn more about BNSF at www.BNSF.com.
About the American Train Dispatchers Association
The American Train Dispatchers Association is an
AFL-CIO-affiliated craft union representing members on Class 1,
Commuter, Passenger, and Shortline Railroads who safely and
efficiently control trains and on-track equipment, as well as
protect signalmen, maintenance of way employees, and other on track
workers. Additionally, the ATDA represents bridge operators,
clerks, conductors, engineers, load dispatchers, maintenance of
way, power directors, power supervisors, and yardmasters. The
Organization is headquartered in Cleveland, OH. You can learn more
about ATDA at www.ATDA.org.
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Kendall Kirkham Sloan Director of External Communications
Media@BNSF.com