1

Engineer Certification

John Conklin – Program Manager, Locomotive Engineer Certification

2

DMV & NDR Checks

License suspension for D&A use or refusal to test (past 36 months)

Upon conviction, incident must be reported to RR within 48 hours

Referral to EAP for evaluation Must complete any prescribed treatment

program

3

Decertification Offenses

Stop signals Wayside signals Red flags/lights Banners (if designated as stop signals)

Issues Not illuminated at night

4

Decertification Offenses (cont)

Speeding 10 mph or more over max auth spd Restricted speed

FRA reportable accident/incident Damages > $8500

EOT failures/ditch lights

5

Decertification Offenses (cont)

Train air brake tests (frt) Class 1 (initial terminal) Class 1A (intermediate) Class 2 (intermediate) Class 3 (intermediate)

Changing locomotive consist Changing ends Adding cars/removing cars

6

Decertification Offenses (cont)

Main track authorities All designated main tracks/controlled

sidings Form B’s (track work limits) Stop & Protect at crossing orders

Beware of hand signals from unauthorized flaggers

7

Decertification Offenses (cont)

Tampering If a safety device is cut out, report it Do not modify anything! If a safety device must be cut out, obtain

permission from the dispatcher

8

Decertification Offenses (cont)

Drugs/Alcohol 219.101 violation - on duty use/possession

(no alcohol after call or within 4 hrs of duty)

Mandatory 9 months suspension 219.102 violation – control substance use

EAP evaluation and back to work following any treatment program

Refusal to test – automatic 9 month suspension

9

Decerts by Type

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Signals

Speed

Brakes

Trk Auth

Tamper

D&A

10

Decerts per M-T-M by Cause

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Dec

ert R

ate

stop sigs

speed

brk test

trk auth

tamp

D&A

11

Decert Type by Percentage

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

d&a

tamp'g

trk auth

brk test

spd

stop sig

12

Stop Signal Violations per M-T-M

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

Viol

atio

n R

ate

Rate 0.40 0.59 0.50 0.44 0.48 0.55 0.63 0.76 0.80 0.74

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

13

D&A Violations per M-T-M

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.20

Vio

lati

on

s R

ate

Rate 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.13 0.13 0.10 0.13 0.13 0.16 0.15 0.11 0.15 0.14 0.18 0.17 0.13

92 93 94 95 96 97 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

14

Revocation Periods

First offense – 1 month Second offense (within 24 months) –

6 months Second offense (outside 24 months) –

1 month Third offense (within 36 months) – 1 yr Fourth offense (within 36 months) – 3 yrs

15

Revocation Periods (cont)

Revocation periods of 1 yr or less may be cut in half at RR’s discretion

16

Denial of Certification

RR must notify candidate of basis for denying certification

Afford candidate opportunity to rebut in writing

If RR denies certification, must notify candidate in writing of reasons

No hearing required Federal courts agreed

Appeal pending

17

Denial of Certification (cont)

Denial can be based solely on 240.115, 240.117, 240.119 with no opportunity to comment

18

Territory Qualification

Must be determined by DSLE qualified on the territory (check ride may or may not be necessary)

No assumptions based on # of trips

19

Pilots

Joint operations – must be qualified engr Home road – must be engr if you never

operated over territory

20

Revocation process

Notification of suspension and reason Opportunity for a hearing unless waived Revocation notice

21

Appeal Process

LERB appeal 120 days to file FRA appeal for revocation 180 days to file FRA appeal for denial

Hearing Request within 20 days of LERB decision

Appeal to FRA Administrator Request within 35 days of hearing decision

Federal court system

22

Total Decerts (atk, bnsf, csx, ns, up) vs. LERB Appeals

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Year

TotalDecerts

LERBAppeals

Total Decerts 495 663 602 592 629 802 911 1156 1075 1175

LERB Appeals 127 106 84 104 72 66 65 76 79 94

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

23

1,332 Total LERB Decisions (1992-2007)

38%

57%

5%

Granted

Denied

Dismissed

24

Trends Over Past Ten Years

Increased train-miles Increased decertifications Increased decertification rates Increased violations in stops signals,

speed, and track authorities

25

Decerts vs. Train-Miles Operated (ATK, UP, BNSF, NS, CSX)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Dec

erts

Decerts 495 663 602 592 629 802 911 1156 1075 1175

Train Miles (millions) 507 562 587 573 590 604 626 641 548 639

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

26

Decerts by RR

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Dec

erts

ATK

UP

BNSF

CSX

NS

27

Decerts per M-T-M

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

Rat

e

All RR's 1.33 1.46 1.80 1.96 1.84

NS 1.02 1.40 1.23 1.66 1.45

CSX 1.10 1.57 1.72 2.00 1.32

BNSF 1.33 1.45 1.60 2.04 2.18

UP 1.63 1.50 2.51 2.18 2.20

ATK 1.24 1.07 0.92 1.11 0.86

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

28

Year 2007 Decerts per M-T-M by RR

0.9

2.2

1.3 1.4

2.21.7

1.3

2.1 2.1

0.7

1.9

0.71.0 0.8

6.5

1.7

1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Dece

rt Ra

te

29

2007 Efficiency Test Percentages

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

total decerts

eff test

total decerts 421 148 149 414

eff test 122 53 62 162

BNSF CSX NS UP

30

Words to Remember

TRUST NO ONE!

31

Questions

???