Free market coalition authors letter against Railway Safety Act

A coalition of free market and conservative groups recently authored a letter to key U.S. Senate committee leaders, opposing the inclusion of the Railway Safety Act (RSA) in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill.

The RSA would forbid freight trains from operating without a two-person crew, among other restrictions. The authors opine that the rail industry should be free to remain at the cutting edge of transportation automation.

Additionally, the RSA would increase shipping costs but would not bring about additional safety advantages, according to a press release from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), which led the coalition in authoring the letter.

The legislation's supporters state that the RSA is necessary to prevent incidents like the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; however, that incident occurred on a train with a three-person crew, CEI officials said.

"The bill likewise mandates the deployment of wayside bearing detectors, which prescribes a specific technological approach as opposed to encouraging better safety outcomes," the letter states. "Congress should avoid freezing current practices into statute and instead preserve the flexibility needed to adopt emerging technologies that can further improve both safety and productivity."