May 15, 2026
Washington, D.C. — On May 15, 2026, the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) expressed concern following the release of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that would revoke 49 CFR Part 245; the federal regulation establishing mandatory certification standards for Train Dispatchers.
Finalized by FRA in 2024 after years of advocacy, 49 CFR Part 245 was designed to establish minimum national safety standards for the qualification, training, testing, oversight, and certification of railroad dispatchers.
“Train dispatchers are among the most safety-critical employees in the railroad industry,” said Ed Dowell, National President of the American Train Dispatchers Association. “Revoking dispatcher certification sends exactly the wrong message to the industry and the public. At a time when railroads are becoming increasingly dependent on centralized dispatching systems and complex computer-aided technologies, federal oversight should be strengthened, not dismantled.”
The dispatcher certification rule originated under the Rail Safety Improvement Act and created, for the first time, federal minimum standards like those already required for locomotive engineers and conductors. The rule requires railroads to implement FRA-approved certification programs governing dispatcher training, operational knowledge, safety compliance, and ongoing qualification.
“This proposal appears to be another attempt to remove accountability from railroads and federal standards from one of the most safety-sensitive positions in transportation,” Dowell continued. “Dispatchers control the movement of trains, some of which carry hazardous materials through cities and communities across America. Weakening professional certification requirements is not modernization; it is deregulation at the expense of safety.”
The ATDA also warned that the proposed rollback comes amid growing national concern regarding dispatching technology and centralized train control systems. In April, bipartisan legislation known as the Safe Tracks Act was introduced in Congress to increase federal oversight of railroad dispatching systems and dispatching technology.
