COVID-19 Impacts Prompt “RULA-making” at Union Pacific

Every Union Pacific non-agreement employee has been hit with a RULA—“Required Unpaid Leave of Absence”—consisting of one week of unpaid leave during May, June, July and August; executives and board members will take a 25% pay reduction over that same time period, UP Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz said on April 21.

Rail Tank Cars As Oil Storage “Unlikely For Now”: Cowen

Cowen and Company Freight Transportation Analyst Matt Elkott estimates that there is readily available tank car storage capacity for at least 25 million barrels of crude, which can be ramped up in the coming weeks. However, the Canadian railroads do not appear to have a strong appetite for this business, while their U.S. counterparts may be examining the prospects.

Reynolds named FRA Chief Counsel

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has named Gerald A. Reynolds Chief Counsel, serving as the principal legal advisor to FRA Administrator Ron Batory, with responsibility for overseeing all FRA legal matters.

NYMTA Work Force Gradually Replenishing

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on April 20 announced that the number of employees who have returned to work following mandatory quarantines is now higher than those still out on quarantine. System-wide, 5,033 employees have returned to work, compared with 4,112 employees currently out on quarantine.

Norfolk Southern’s “Can-Do” Culture Keeps Freight Moving: Special Podcast Series—The Coronavirus and the Rail Industry

Norfolk Southern Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer John Scheib discusses the railroad’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the “can-do” culture that’s keeping the trains moving and employees safe. Podcast

COVID-19 Claims NJT’s Ray Kenny

New Jersey Transit Senior Vice President and General Manager Rail Operations Raymond P. Kenny, 69, has died of COVID-19.

APTA, WSP USA, JHU Release COVID-19 Guide

APTA (American Public Transportation Association), WSP USA, Inc. and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHU) have collaborated on a 23-page guide, “The COVID-19 Pandemic Public Transportation Responds: Safeguarding Riders and Employees.”

Railway Age 2020 Readers’ Most Influential Leaders

Railway Age is pleased to present the results of its first annual Readers’ Most Influential Leaders poll. We asked subscribers, through an online poll, to nominate active (non-retired) people from all areas of the North American railway industry they believe are the most influential. Here are highlights of the top 10; full profiles will appear in the May issue of Railway Age.

Rail Group On Air: Update on Rail Labor National Bargaining With Frank N. Wilner

Where does national bargaining stand with rail labor and the carriers? What are both sides looking for? Is the COVID-19 pandemic a factor, or is it more the 2020 Presidential election? Editor-in-Chief

Survey Says: Riders Value Convenience Most

A survey conducted by FPaaS (Fare Payments-as-a-Service) provider Masabi says that more than 40% of Americans are combining public transit with ridesharing, and primarily value convenience when deciding whether or not to use public transportation. Masabi conducted the online survey in the fall of 2019 with a group of more than 2,500 U.S. residents across different age categories, geographies and gender. Mot all respondents had access to public transit services, “so much of the data is based on the responses of the 500 U.S. residents for whom public transportation is an available option,” the company noted.

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