Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 131 (Friday, July 11, 2025)

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 131 (Friday, July 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31104-31105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12941]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0011]


Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that the Commuter 
Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority (Metra) 
petitioned FRA to extend relief related to Metra's participation in 
FRA's Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C\3\RS) Program.

DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by August 11, 2025. 
FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent 
practicable.

ADDRESSES: 
    Comments: Comments related to this docket may be submitted by going 
to https://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to 
https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any personal information. 
Please see the Privacy Act heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any 
submitted comments or materials.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the 
online instructions for accessing the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald O. Simpson, Railroad Safety 
Specialist, FRA Safety Partnerships Division, telephone: 314-202-2971, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by 
letter received on April 4, 2025, Metra petitioned FRA for an extension 
of a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal 
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 240 (Qualification 
and Certification of Locomotive Engineers) and part 242 (Qualification 
and Certification of Conductors). FRA assigned the petition Docket 
Number FRA-2015-0011.
    Specifically, Metra requests an extension of the relief required to 
continue its participation in FRA's C\3\RS Program. Metra seeks to 
continue shielding reporting employees from mandatory punitive 
sanctions that would otherwise arise as provided in Sec. Sec.  
240.117(e)(1)-(4); 240.305(a)(1)-(4) and (a)(6); 240.307; 242.403(b), 
(c), (e)(1)-(4), (e)(6)-(11), (f)(1)-(2); and 242.407. The C\3\RS 
Program encourages certified operating crew members to report close 
calls and protects the employees and the railroad from discipline or 
sanctions arising from the incidents reported per the C\3\RS 
Implementing Memorandum of Understanding (IMOU). The IMOU includes 
Metra's operating company, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter 
Railroad Corporation and several participating labor unions.
    In support of its request, Metra states that it has made many 
safety improvements since the waiver was last extended, including 
clarification on working limits by revising bulletins, increased trend 
analysis, and a revised handbook for determining urgency for corrective 
action.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party 
desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they 
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and 
specify the basis for their request.
    Communications received by August 11, 2025 will be considered by 
FRA

[[Page 31105]]

before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered if practicable.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications 
and comments received into any of FRA's dockets by the name of the 
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform 
its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any 
personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can 
be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of 
regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-12941 Filed 7-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P