New York legislators introduce state bill to require two-person crews

ALBANY, N.Y. — Legislators in New York state have introduced bills requiring two-person crews for most freight operations in the state.

Senate bill S3953, introduced by Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy (D-Buffalo), would require two-person crews for Class I and Class II railroads, except for those engaged in switching, and specifies penalties beginning at $250 to $1,000 for the first violation, escalating to as much as $10,000 for the third. The corresponding assembly bill, A1287B, was introduced by Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (D-Syracuse).

Both legislators introduced similar bills in 2020. At least seven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin — have passed such bills, and Amit Bose, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, has indicated longer trains warrant two-person crews [see “FRA administrator sees longer trains as rationale ..,” Trains News Wire, April 8, 2022].