WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – This week, Senator Jim Justice and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase pay for federal railroad inspectors & specialists.
“Rail safety inspectors are the front line of defense for our nation’s transit network. Every day, they inspect critical infrastructure, investigate dangerous incidents, and enforce safety standards across the entire industry. This common-sense bill gives the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) the resources necessary to recruit and retain world-class talent to keep our railways secure. Offering competitive pay is a direct investment in the safety of our communities, and I’m proud to lead this bill alongside Senator Peters,” said Senator Jim Justice.
“The United States railway system is critical to the success of our entire economy. Federal railroad inspectors play a vital role in maintaining that system by ensuring railroad tracks, equipment, and operating practices remain safe and secure,” said Senator Gary Peters. “Making sure we can recruit and retain highly skilled professionals for this essential workforce will improve railway safety in communities across the country. This bipartisan, commonsense bill would help us do just that by providing federal rail inspectors with more competitive wages for the critical work they do.”
BACKGROUND:
- FRA inspectors enforce federal rail safety laws across approximately 160,000 miles of track nationwide.
- The current government pay structure leaves them one full pay level below comparable federal accident-investigation positions.
- As a result, the FRA has struggled with recruitment and retention of its safety inspectors and specialist positions, potentially affecting rail safety enforcement and monitoring.
- By upgrading the pay scale, the Senators’ bill would make these FRA positions more competitive to strengthen the workforce and support safer railroad operations.
