DOT 100-08
Monday, July 21, 2008
Contact: Steve Kulm orRob Kulat
(202) 493-6024
Deputy Secretary of Transportation Barrett Announces $1 Million Grant to Help
Reduce the Leading Causes of Rail-Related Deaths
Deputy Secretary of Transportation Vice Admiral Thomas J. Barrett today
announced a $1.015 million grant to continue federal support of public education
efforts to reduce collisions between trains and motor vehicles at highway-rail
grade crossings and discourage illegal trespassing along railroad rights of way.
“Most rail-related deaths are preventable, and the far-reaching educational
outreach efforts of Operation Lifesaver helps save lives every day,” said
Barrett, noting that in 2007 there were 338 grade crossing and 473 trespasser
deaths which accounted for a combined 95 percent of all rail-related fatalities.
Barrett explained that the grant is being provided by the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) and will support the public outreach and training programs
of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a national not-for-profit rail safety
organization. An additional $338,332 will be generated in matching funds or
services, he added.
The federal funds will be used for OLI’s States Assistance Program, which
provides up to 50 grants to state organizations that manage railroad safety
awareness programs. In addition, the FRA grant will support training programs
for OLI’s more than 2,100 volunteer trainers and presenters, specialized
communications programs, publications and other related materials.
Barrett further stated that the annual FRA grant funding will be used for new
OLI initiatives, including production of a training video for commercial truck
and bus drivers, development of more outreach resources for the Hispanic/Latino
community, creation of new public service announcements, and a special
initiative targeting college age and 25- to 30 year-olds. And, in response to
the consistently high and relatively unchanged number of trespass deaths in
recent years, OLI will renew its emphasis on addressing trespass issues.
The grant announced today supports the goals of the U.S. Secretary of
Transportation’s 2004 Action Plan for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety and
Trespass Prevention that provides a roadmap for guiding federal, state, local,
railroad industry and other efforts to combat these problems.
Deputy Secretary Barrett announced the FRA grant at the OLI International
Symposium in Covington, KY.
Click here for Deputy Secretary Barrett's
remarks from event.
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