On behalf of the over 5,000 active and retired members of the Ohio Teamsters Rail Conference, welcome to the 136th General Assembly of the Ohio Legislature! From operating trains throughout our state and beyond, to repairing rail infrastructure and facilities, our members play a critical part of Ohio’s “Top 5” ranking in rail transportation. Below is some general information about our organization, a list of our priorities for the biennium, and a description of rail activity in Ohio. 

Our Ohio Teamsters Rail Conference legislative departments represent matters of legislation, regulation, health and safety for our membership. Our first priority is the safety of our members and of the public – to that end, our goal is to make sure that all laws and regulations pertaining to railroad operations start and end with safety in mind.

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET): Founded in 1863, the BLET is the oldest continuously operating labor union in North America. We represent the men and women in railroad transportation divisions: locomotive engineers, conductors, yard foremen, brakemen, and switchmen. In Ohio, we represent the four largest railroads: CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, the Wheeling Lake Erie Railway, and the Indiana & Ohio Railway. The BLET National Division offices are in Independence, Ohio. We are incredibly proud to be the only state with a member in the state legislature, and the only state with two members serving as elected officials.

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED): Founded in 1887, the BMWED represents the men and women in railroad engineering divisions who build and maintain the tracks, bridges, buildings, and other structures on railroads across the state – think of the BMWED as the building trades of the railroad. In Ohio, we represent the two largest railroads: CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern. With the BLET, the BMWED merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in 2004 to form the Teamsters Rail Conference.

Tools and information for legislators and their staff:

• District Rail Fact Sheets – Includes district rail map, main track mileage, yard track mileage, industrial track mileage, number of road crossings, number of rail bridges, and notes about activity in the district. Available for both Senate (click here) and House (click here) districts.
• Interactive Ohio Rail Map – Includes color coded track map, road crossings, rail bridges, Amtrak stations, and BLET Divisions in Ohio. Interactive with information about each item – click here to access the map.
• Legislation Tracker – Information about Ohio Teamsters Rail Conference priority bills in the Ohio Legislature and US Congress – click here for the list.

• Rail Safety – Our top priority will always be the safety of our membership and the general public. We work with state and federal agencies to ensure that sensible regulations on rail transporation are implemented and enforced. Learn more.
• Passenger Rail Expansion – Our Board is in full support of any expansion of passenger rail service in and through Ohio. We are very excited about the four routes chosen for further study under the Federal Railroad Administrations Corridor ID Program and others. Learn more.
• Rail Supported Growth – Rail supported growth of businesses in Ohio and beyond is something labor and the industry can both agree on. We work to ensure that the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) is fully funded and has the ability to identify and fund projects that support our short line members. Learn more.

Our legislative priorities for the 136th General Assembly:

• Support Passenger Rail Growth – Along with other passenger rail advocates, we support including the following in the Transportation Budget: rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC), establish an Office of Passenger Rail under the ORDC/ODOT umbrella, and fund Step 2 of the FRA Corridor ID program for three Ohio-based routes.
• Fully Fund Ohio Rail Development Commission – ORDC has a demonstrable impact on improved rail safety and growth of rail-supported business in Ohio. Their only limit each year is their budget – every dollar they are assigned results in a safer, more robust rail network. ORDC funding is allocated in the Operating Budget.
• Improved Training for First Responders – In the wake of the East Palestine derailment, the NTSB made several recommendations to Ohio’s legislature and local officials regarding training and communication between first responders and railroads during emergency situations. Grade crossing safety training for first responders and highway logistics providers is also a top priority.
• Workforce Development and Employee Support – Rail growth requires a skilled workforce, and we feel that Ohio is the ideal location for expanded workforce development for trades like ours. We also support legislation that reduces the barriers for workers including child care, housing, and transit policy for working Ohioans.
• Autonomous Vehicle Public Safety – We support a human safety operator being physically present in any autonomous vehicle used for revenue service such that they can monitor the vehicles performance and intervene if necessary, including operating or shutting off the vehicle – on the road and on the rails.