September 05, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio – On September 5, 2025, the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) launched a new Reporting Tool for Train Dispatcher Software Errors and other Safety Issues. Designed as a mechanism by which Train Dispatchers may report potential vulnerabilities they encounter during work, the data collected will be used by ATDA to amplify its members’ concerns through government agencies and other political channels. While those concerns may include software glitches or errors within Train Dispatching systems, they may also include other operational threats unrelated to technology. Practically speaking, this will connect the frontline safety expertise of ATDA Train Dispatchers to lawmakers, regulators, and others who have the power to enforce change.
Commenting on the development, ATDA President Ed Dowell said, “This tool was designed to collect the data we need to hold Railroads and Software developers accountable for their systems any time they are anything less than 100% safe. This will provide crucial data to support our position that the FRA should have oversight and approval authority over dispatch software before a railroad installs it. Our members should not be working with inferior systems which jeopardize the safety of our fellow Brothers and Sisters who work on the tracks or the general public near the tracks.”
The Train Dispatcher Software Error or Safety Issue Reporting Tool is hosted on ATDA’s new, feature-rich website, ATDA.org. It can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
