FRA collected increased rail safety fines in 2025

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) collected 25% more rail safety fines in fiscal-year 2025 over the prior year, according to an FRA press release.

As outlined in FRA’s FY2025 Annual Enforcement Report, the agency conducted more than 70,000 inspections to assess railroads' compliance with safety regulations and laws, issued more than $21 million in civil penalties and successfully closed approximately 3,900 cases. About $18 million in fines was for violations of rail safety laws, and about $3.2 million was for violations related to hazardous materials transportation laws, FRA officials said.

The increase is largely due to the FRA comprehensively updating its civil penalty schedules and guidelines in 2023 to account for inflation and maintain the deterrent effect of its penalty program. Adjusting for inflation doubled FRA’s civil penalty schedule and guideline amounts, according to the report.