The Association of American Railroads submitted comments to FRA and PHMSA concerning regulatory barriers that prevent the railroad industry from reaping the full benefits of automation technology. This technology has already shown to improve rail safety. Automated track inspections and wayside detectors are able to pinpoint defects on the tracks and equipment that may have been missed by human inspection. Positive Train Control has proven to prevent accidents that are typically caused by human error.
Edward R. Hamberger, President & CEO of AAR, said “While railroading in America is safer than ever, we are at an inflection point and further progress requires a paradigm shift. Emerging automated technology now makes it possible to envision, and more importantly build, a future free from the cause of one-third of all train accidents – human error. The Department of Transportation has encouraged the development and deployment of this game-changing technology in other transportation sectors, and we hope this is the beginning of an ongoing conversation about how it can be put to work across the world’s best freight rail network.”
