“As is evident in current state and federal regulatory efforts concerning issues like crew size and locomotive emissions, many lawmakers paint all railroads with a single brush, when ASLRRA’s Class II and III railroad members operate very differently from and often on much slimmer margins than their Class I counterparts,” the association reported. “This is a key distinction that ASLRRA staff members work constantly to convey to government officials and the general public.”
The association said it believes advocating for these issues is not only in the interests of short lines, but also serves the interests of the U.S. as a whole, as freight rail is “a safe, cost-effective way to move goods over land, and study after study has shown that it is environmentally friendly as well.” Short lines serve as a vital link between communities and businesses and the greater transportation network.
The advocacy section of ASLRRA’s website includes these new issue pages:
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funding
- Truck Size and Weight
- Highway User Fees
- Investing in Safety
- Tax Policy
- Reasonable Regulatory Environment
- Crew Size Mandates
Access all of the advocacy information under the Advocacy tab on ASLRRA’s homepage. Also available is a Short Line Overview page and other short line industry fact sheets.
