Kansas becomes 10th state to mandate 2-person train crews

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced this week that a rule mandating a minimum of two-person train crews will take effect in the state on Nov. 3.

In May, Kelly directed the Kansas Department of Transportation to propose a rule that would require railroads operating in the state to have at least two crew members on board a train's lead locomotive. When the rule takes effect, Kansas will become the 10th state in the nation to mandate a train-crew minimum.

"Kansans' safety and security must always come first, and that includes the safety of our railroad crew members," Kelly said in a press release. "This requirement will protect workers from the effects of fatigue, prevent train derailments and reduce risks in the many Kansas communities along our railroad tracks."

Kansas is in the top 25 states for collisions at grade crossings, resulting in five deaths and 14 injuries in 2022, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

After the rule was proposed, it was subject to at least a 60-day public comment period. Organizations including the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) have supported the rule.

SMART leaders praised Kelly's action to implement the train-crew minimum.

"It still takes a minimum of two individuals, regardless of [train] size, to safely move and respond to emergencies as they arise throughout the state; an on-scene crew to mitigate emergencies as they arise the second an accident happens is paramount," said SMART Transportation Division Kansas State Legislative Director Ty Dragoo. "This regulation ensures Kansas communities and citizens have the already widely accepted industry-wide minimum standard in place for their safety."

The Association of American Railroads is opposed to mandatory train-crew rules, saying crew size should be determined by contract negotiations between the railroads and labor unions.

"Regulatory efforts to mandate crew staffing such as the latest in Kansas lack a safety justification,” said AAR spokesperson Jessica Kahanek said in a statement to the Associated Press.