News Digest

DOT Launches Website to Help Reduce On-the-Job Fatigue of Railroad Workers.   U.S. Department of Transportation today launched an interactive, multimedia website intended to reduce on-the-job fatigue among railroad employees by advising them on the importance of obtaining healthy sleep to maintain individual well-being, safety and workplace performance.  The Railroaders’ Guide to Healthy Sleep website features an anonymous self-test to screen for possible sleep disorders, a sleep and wake diary for tracking sleep and various tailored and effective strategies for improving the amount and quality of sleep obtained.  Many railroaders work unpredictable schedules that can make it challenging to get proper sleep.  The Railroaders’ Guide to Healthy Sleep includes articles, videos, quizzes and illustrations to help workers understand their normal daily ups and downs in alertness, and improve their sleep while balancing work and family life.  The website was funded by the Federal Railroad Administration and developed by the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in collaboration with experts in sleep health from the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine and experts in educational media from the WGBH Educational Foundation.  Contact: Kevin F. Thompson, 202-366-6024.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary LaHood Awards $1.8 million for Station Improvements in Indiana   U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today awarded $1.8 million to the Town of Waterloo, Indiana, to complete a six-year passenger rail station improvement project. The improvements are necessary to make the station’s facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The project will include new ADA compliant platforms, signage improvements, and new pathways, parking, and lighting. Contact: Kevin Thompson (202) 493-6024.