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Reps. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), and Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) recently called on the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Office of Inspector General to conduct an audit of grade crossing inspections, accident reporting and investigations, according to a news item posted on the Association of American Railroads' Web site. The audit will assess the Federal Railroad Administration's oversight of crossing inspections, and accident reports and investigations.

Earlier this year, the inspector general's office audited the USDOT's progress in implementing a crossing safety action plan, which showed a reduction in crossing accidents and fatalities. However, the New York Times published a series of articles in July that criticized some Class Is' handling of crossing incidents and accident reports.

Oberstar and Brown are the ranking Democratic members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and House Subcommittee on Railroads, respectively; Hollings is the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.