President Signs Extension on PTC Technology Implementation

Sources: The Fertilizer Institute, Agricultural Retailers Association, National Grain and Feed Association

President Obama signed H.R. 3819, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015, into law Oct. 29. H.R. 3819 extends surface transportation programs through Nov. 20 and includes the bipartisan-bicameral long-term extension of the PTC deadline. The Ohio AgriBusiness Association supported work by The Fertilizer Institute, the Agricultural Retailers Association, and the National Grain and Feed Association to help petition Congress to extend the legislation.

The bill was sent to President Obama after the Senate unanimously approved a short-term extension of the highway bill that includes an extension of at least three years – Dec. 31, 2018 – to the deadline for rail carriers to implement positive train control (PTC) technology.

The final version of the legislation contains a requirement that each of the carriers required to install PTC submit a revised PTC implementation plan within 90 days of enactment, with several significant reporting metrics designed to ensure that carriers implement PTC as soon as possible. However,it does allow carriers to file an alternative schedule that would allow up to an additional two years – Dec. 31, 2020 – contingent upon approval of the secretary of transportation. For the additional two-year extension to be granted, the carrier would be required to: 1) show it already has installed all PTC hardware where required; 2) already acquired all radio spectrums necessary to implement PTC; 3) already completed employee training; 4) in the case of Class I carriers and Amtrak, implemented PTC on the majority of its geographic territories or route miles; and 5) included an alternative schedule and sequence for implementing PTC as soon as practicable.

In addition, annual progress reports on the status of PTC installation would be required, with the first reports required by March 31, 2016.

The text of the positive train control deadline extension can be found on pages 22-39 of the bill.