7/27/2019 Letter to Durbin

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7/27/2019 Letter to Durbin

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FRA OVERSIGHT PLAN

FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS REGIONAL COMMUTER RAILROAD

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has the authority and the responsibility to provide safety

oversight on the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad (Metra). FRA provides that safety

oversight by conducting regular inspections of Metra track, signals, and operations to establish

compliance with Federal regulations for railroads.

Recently, Metra has experienced some changes in leadership within the Board of Directors and senior

ranks of the organization. FRA inspection results show that Metra continues to be a safe and efficient

operation a credit to the career professionals who execute daily a service-oriented, safety focused

culture of providing on-time, safe and reliable service. However, in order to be proactive and ensure

that safe operations continues to be supported during this time of transition, FRA has initiated a series

of actions designed to ensure the continued safety of Metra employees, Metra riders, and the general

public.

FRAs plan for increased safety oversight of Metra operations is based on two tenets, regulatorymonitoring and increased communications. These steps are designed to ensure that Metra operating

officials and employees:

comply with rules and regulations: maintain their focus on safety; and, keep lines of communication open between labor, management and FRA on all safety issues.

The FRAOversight Plan contains the following elements:

1. The FRA Administrator has personally opened up lines of communication with the MetraDeputy Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer and emphasized the need to stay focused on

safety during this period of leadership transition and ensured a direct line of communicationshould any void of leadership have the potential of creating an unsafe environment.

2. The FRA Region 4 Regional Administrator will hold weekly face-to-face meetings with the MetraDeputy Executive Director / Chief Operations Officer to review any safety issues revealed

through FRA inspections or communication with Metra labor organizations. The weekly meeting

will also allow discussion of any operational issues that may affect Metra or other railroads in

the Chicago area.

3. The FRA Region 4 leadership will engage labor leaders and rank and file members to make laboraware of FRAs increased oversight and to facilitate two-way communication on all aspects of

rail safety. These meetings will include senior level meetings, open meetings, and informal

face-to-face with the rank and file employees.

4. The FRA Region 4 representatives will attend and participate in monthly Labor-ManagementSafety meetings. During these meetings, labor representatives discuss any safety concerns

directly with Metra management. These meetings encompass Metra employees in the

engineering, mechanical and transportation departments and their managers.

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5. FRA inspectors will increase the number of train operation inspections on Metra trains. Duringthese inspections, the FRA inspector may ride in the locomotive cab with the Metra engineer,

observing his operation of the train, his overall knowledge of the operating rules, and his

awareness of the operating environment. The FRA inspector will also have the opportunity to

discuss any emerging safety issues directly with the crew members responsible for the safety of

the Metra passengers.

6. FRA inspectors will increase oversight of Metras operational test and inspection program. Allrailroads are required to conduct tests to ensure the employees are properly trained on the

operating rules of the railroad, and that they perform their daily duties in accordance with

these rules. Further, FRA will ensure railroad management is also trained and qualified on the

rules and provide competent and knowledgeable oversight of their employees.

7. The FRA Region 4 Regional Administrator will participate in bi-monthly Chicago Operating RulesAssociation (CORA) meetings and with the Metra senior rules director to review operational and

safety rules that impact Metra and other railroads within the broader Chicago Terminal District

and/or any cross-cutting concerns with local freight railroads.

Through these efforts, FRA intends to maintain the safe and efficient operation of the Metra system and

ensure the continued safety of Metra employees, Metra riders, and the general public.

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