Safety & Security Briefs — March 29 - April 4

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• TSA Sets Final User Fees for TWIC Program
• CSX Chided for Safety Record by FRA

TSA Sets Final User Fees for TWIC Program

Transportation workers who require unescorted access to security-sensitive areas of U.S. ports will have to pay a standard fee of $137.25 to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Card, the Transportation Security Administration announced March 20.

Drivers who already have completed a comparable security-threat assessment to receive a hazardous materials endorsement or a Free and Secure Trade card will pay a $105.25 fee, TSA said. Transport Topics

CSX Chided for Safety Record by FRA

An investigation by Federal Railroad Administration found more than 3,500 defects at CSX Corp. railroad properties in 23 states, a probe started in response to a series of accidents involving the company’s trains, the Associated Press reported.
 
The inspection recommended that CSX be fined for 199 violations, including failure to replace defective rails and failure to make repairs, and FRA Administrator Joseph Boardman said the railroad “is still not doing enough to make safety a top priority.”

CSX Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Ward, in a statement responding to the report, assured FRA that CSX “will move promptly and aggressively to address safety concerns.”

“Safety is our top priority, and we welcome FRA’s inspections and insights,” Ward said. “We are committed to working closely with FRA on all safety issues.” Transport Topics