Sen. Rafferty introduces legislation to improve railway safety in Maine

AUGUSTA — On April 30, 2025, Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk, introduced LD 1015, “An Act to Require a Minimum of 2 Persons on a Crew for the Operation of Freight Trains,” to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. In the wake of state and national conversations around railway safety in recent years, Sen. Rafferty is spearheading this effort in Maine to improve this critical mode of transportation for people and goods.

“In order to make sure our freight trains safely get from point A to point B, I believe it is important to require at least two employees to operate them,” said Sen. Rafferty. “We can’t expect one operator to seamlessly handle an entire train, just like we can never expect one player on a football team to play each position. By delegating tasks between multiple people, we spread out responsibilities and increase the odds of a safe arrival.”

LD 1015 would require all freight trains operating in Maine to be manned by at least two operators at all times. With two members on board, personnel can better monitor train operations and respond to any failures in equipment or operations more effectively and efficiently.

The bill awaits further action in committee.