Insights - May 2015 - 2

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Intermodal Insights is published monthly
by the Intermodal Association of North
America for the benefit of its members.
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trademark of the Intermodal Association
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2 Intermodal Insights | May 2015

Federal
Update
STB Reform Bill
Advances in Senate
A bipartisan measure to reform the
Surface Transportation Board is advancing through the U.S. Senate.
S. 808, the Surface Transportation
Board Reauthorization Act of 2015,
was passed March 25 by the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, six days after its introduction by the committee's chairman,
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and its ranking
member, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
The two senators said the bill aims
to allow STB members to work together
in a more streamlined approach while
increasing the board's membership
to five from its current three. Specifics
include changing the rail rate review
process by requiring the board to establish timelines for stand-alone rate cases
and a report on rate case methodology.
"These reforms will help make the
STB a more efficient, effective and
accountable agency for the benefit of
shippers and railroads alike," Sen. Thune
said.
Go to www.govtrack.us/congress/
bills/114/s808 to read and track the bill.

Senate Mulling
Rail Service Bill
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is
championing a bill she says will bring
about improved "efficiency and reliability" of rail service for shippers while
increasing competition between railroads, including through implementation of so-called competitive switching.
Like S. 808, introduced March 19,
Sen. Baldwin's bill, S. 853, the Rail
Shipper Fairness Act of 2015, also calls
for increasing the number of Surface
Transportation Board members to five
from three.
Visit www.govtrack.us/congress/
bills/114/s853 for more on S. 853, which
was referred to the Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science and Transportation following its March 24 introduction.

Measure Calls for
Rail Safety Funds
Illinois Democratic congressmen are
backing a bill to furnish $1 billion over
the next five years for rail safety improvement projects, including positive
train control implementation.
H.R. 1405, the Reassuring Adequate
Investment in Lifesaving Systems Act,
or RAILS Act, was introduced March 17
by Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill., and cosponsored by six fellow Illinois Democrats - Rep. Danny Davis, Rep. Tammy
Duckworth, Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, Rep.
Robin Kelly, Rep. Mike Quigley and Rep.
Bobby Rush.
Visit www.govtrack.us/congress/
bills/114/hr1405 to follow the measure,
which was referred to the House
Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.

FMCSA Adds App,
Evokes More Ire
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration's introduction of a
Smartphone app offering public access
Federal Update - continued on page 17

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http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1405 http://www.kiswaninational.com http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s808 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s853 http://www.intermodal.org http://www.kiswaninational.com

Insights - May 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - May 2015