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The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded Association of American Railroads affiliate the Railroad Research Foundation (RRF) a $1.5 million Railroad Safety Technology Grant to implement a risk management tool railroads can use to comply with federal regulations governing hazardous materials transportation.

RRF will use the proceeds to enhance and implement the Rail Corridor Risk Management System, a web-based software tool designed to analyze the safest, most secure routes to transport certain hazardous materials. The technology is being developed in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Transportation Security Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Federal regulations require railroads to conduct ongoing, comprehensive risk analyses of the primary routes used to ship certain hazardous materials, as well as alternative routes. The analyses include at least 27 specific risk factors, as well as input provided by state and local governments.