Oil Transport Safer with New Voluntary Procedures
After much debate on the safety of shipping oil by train, federal regulators have created a list of voluntary measures transporters can use to help reduce the risks of accidents occurring on rail shipments.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and major freight railroads have instated new voluntary operating procedures to make oil transport safer.
“We share the Administration’s vision for making a safe rail network even safer, and have worked together to swiftly pinpoint new operating practices that enhance the safety of moving crude oil by rail,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “Safety is a shared responsibility among all energy-supply-chain stakeholders. We will continue to work with our safety partners – including regulators, our employees, our customers and the communities through which we operate – to find even more ways to reinforce public confidence in the rail industry’s ability to safely meet the increased demand to move crude oil.”
Under these guidelines, railroads traveling with 20 or more railcars will travel no faster than 40 miles-per-hour and will use breaking systems with distributed power or two-way telemetry end-of-train devices and use rail traffic routing technology. Railroads will also perform at least one additional inspection each year and increase the amount of emergency response training, planning, and tuition assistance for first responders.
For more information about railroad guidelines, please click here.