The Voice of Transportation Labor
The federal government is relaxing a rule for drivers of buses and large trucks who are involved in out-of-state traffic violations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an office of the Department of Transportation, is eliminating a requirement that drivers notify their state’s licensing agency when they are convicted of a traffic offense in [...]
The UTU joined other affiliates of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO on Jan. 14 in submitting comments on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Patterns of Safety Violations by Motor Carrier Management. Bus operators that blatantly and repeatedly disregard federal safety laws should have their operating [...]
By Bonnie MorrVice President, Bus Department – Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington State, is the new chairperson of the Senate Budget Committee, which makes decisions on how much of the annual federal budget is available for transit. As chairperson, Sen. Murray will set the agenda and tone of Senate Budget Committee hearings and [...]
Civil penalties for school bus firms operating unsafe equipment have been increased, effective Dec. 27, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The regulation applies to all schools or school systems who own or operate school buses. All school buses, whether in interstate or intrastate operation, must meet the federal standards. The new maximum civil [...]
By Bonnie MorrVice President, Bus Department As we approach year end, I wish everyone happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous new year. During 2012, we have had wonderful success negotiating 11 new contracts, and others are in the negotiating process. I could not be more proud of the negotiating and educational skills demonstrated by [...]
Conservative Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are committed to repealing the Affordable Care Act. Conservative Republicans also are committed to privatizing Social Security and turning Medicare into a voucher program with more costs coming out of retirees’ pockets. By contrast, President Obama is committed to preserving Social Security and Medicare as we know it. [...]
By Bonnie MorrVice President – Bus Department The UTU regional meetings in Portland, Ore., and Memphis, Tenn., provided hands-on workshops – led by experts from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) — designed to improve skills of members and officers in pursing grievances where members’ rights have [...]
It’s not all we wanted, but, maybe more important, it’s not as bad as it could have been. Given the polarization of this Congress, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century – MAP-21 – is as good a new transportation authorization bill as we could have hoped for. Passed by bipartisan majorities in [...]
Suicide by rail is no stranger to operators of steel-wheel trollies on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s Victory Division in suburban Philadelphia. UTU-represented members of this SEPTA property recall having to plead with management to replace the front facing of a trolley displaying a macabre embedded facial image of a man who chose to end his [...]
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – A Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) bus driver, and member of UTU Local 1563, was murdered aboard his bus here Sunday morning, May 20, by a lone gunman, according to media reports. Alan Thomas, 51, who began driving part-time for LACMTA in 2007, and became a full-time driver in 2010, was [...]
Notified you are under investigation? Wish to file a grievance? Membership rights question? Click on the “Membership Toolbox” for your answer. … (Read more)
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a new report on the status of fatigue among railroad industry employees. In 2001, the FRA began examining the fatigue status of safety-critical railroad employees by using logbooks to collect work and … (Read More)
The dates and locations of the 2013 UTU regional meetings are: July 1-3: Boston, at the Westin Boston Waterfront July 29-31: Anaheim, Calif., at the Hilton Anaheim Members and attendees can now register online for a UTU regional meeting, as well … (Read More)
