The Federal Railroad Administration funded two grants totaling $350,000 to support development of a Short Line Safety Institute. The institute will help mitigate risk associated with shipping hazardous materials by rail by working to improve the culture of safety within the shortline and regional rail industry while improving its overall safety record.
"Nearly half of all shortline and regional railroads handle some type of hazardous materials and today's grants will play an important role in ensuring those materials and all shipments reach their destination safely," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "These grants are just the latest step in our comprehensive approach to improving the safe transport of crude oil and other hazmat by rail."