1 Engineer Certification John Conklin – Program Manager, Locomotive Engineer Certification
Dec 17, 2015
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
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