Witness says no data that mandatory two-person freight crews improve safety

At a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a witness identified as Mr. Jeffries told committee members that there is no quantitative evidence showing a federal rule requiring two-person crews in freight locomotive cabs would improve safety.

A committee member asked Jeffries to describe the “impact and the effect in the industry” of a two-person crew requirement, noting a lack of quantitative evidence that such a rule would enhance safety.

Mr. Jeffries responded that “locking in current operating practice in perpetuity … is never a good idea in industries that continue to evolve,” and said regulators have not shown data that a two-person rule would advance safety. He cited prior rulemaking activity, saying the Obama administration’s 2016 preamble to a notice of proposed rulemaking acknowledged the lack of evidence and that the rule was later withdrawn in 2019.

“There's absolutely no data to show that that regulation advances safety,” Jeffries said. He added that technology such as Positive Train Control (PTC) has continued to advance and that, in his view, crew size has traditionally been a subject of collective bargaining between railroad employers and employees.

Jeffries also recalled that a 2020 campaign commitment by President Biden included putting the rule back into consideration, but told the committee that the underlying data remain lacking and that industry practices and technology have continued to change since earlier proposals. He said establishing more predictable schedules that allow employees to return home nightly is a priority raised by employees and an area for negotiation with unions.

The hearing record included questions about whether Congress should mandate crew size or leave the matter to collective bargaining and evolving technology; the transcript excerpts do not record any formal votes or a regulatory decision at the hearing.