Federal Railroad Administration Gets New Rules

The Transportation Department has issued new fatigue rules for railroad workers, spelling out limits for how long passenger rail workers can be continuously on the job. The DOT's Federal Railroad Administration said the rules will improve passenger safety. However, for the first time, DOT will have different rules for passenger and freight railroads. A Transportation spokesman said the new rules stem from an effort to apply "fatigue science" to employee work schedules — meaning railroads must identify fatigue risks using what DOT calls approved, scientifically validated and calibrated bio-mathematical models. The rules go into effect Oct. 15