Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers and Conductors; English Language Proficiency and Other Requirements

The Federal Railroad Administration is proposing new requirements for locomotive engineers and conductors. According to a Federal Register filing, the FRA wants railroad carriers to establish English language proficiency standards. The proposal requires annual evaluations and triennial exams to be conducted without using energy management systems—technology that reduces how much engineers must manually operate throttles or braking systems. The FRA is also proposing a geographic limitation of ten route miles for southern border operations, intended to ensure Mexican crew members receive adequate domestic training and certification. The proposal would clarify that territorial qualification is specific to the direction of travel an engineer trained on.

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