Sean P. Duffy Announces New Temporary Waiver Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation has authorized a new five-year waiver that allows railroads to broaden real-world testing of automated track inspection (ATI) technology. This approval from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Board gives the industry more flexibility to collect advanced data on track conditions and demonstrate how ATI can strengthen traditional visual inspections by detecting defects or hazards that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FRA Administrator David Fink emphasized that ATI has the potential to significantly enhance rail safety and operational efficiency. Under the waiver, railroads will continue standard inspection practices but add expanded data collection and reporting, enabling the FRA to more thoroughly evaluate ATI’s benefits and limitations. The testing approach largely mirrors earlier pilot programs, with updated requirements to support a more comprehensive safety assessment.
