Trains Ditch Old Reports for Speedy Weekly Stats: Rails Simplified?
Published Date: 5/8/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting June 7, 2026, big rail companies (Class I carriers) will stop reporting certain train control spending but will start sharing two key service stats every week. This change helps the Surface Transportation Board keep better track of train arrival times and industry railcar use without extra paperwork. The first weekly reports are due by July 8, 2026, making rail tracking faster and simpler—no extra costs for carriers!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
PTC Supplemental Report Cut
Starting June 7, 2026, Class I rail carriers will no longer have to file the supplemental Positive Train Control (PTC) expense report as a separate attachment to their annual R-1 reports. PTC-related expenditures will still appear in R-1 totals but will not be separately identified, and carriers are not required to file 2025 PTC Supplements.
Weekly OETA and ISP Service Reports
Class I carriers must begin weekly reporting of two service metrics—Original Estimated Time of Arrival (OETA) and Industry Spot and Pull (ISP)—with the first weekly reports due July 8, 2026. The goal is to let the Surface Transportation Board and stakeholders observe service trends more quickly by receiving these standardized weekly metrics.
How OETA Is Measured And Limits
The rule defines OETA as the estimated arrival time provided when a shipper releases a shipment with necessary documentation (or upon confirmed interchange delivery). For OETA reporting: deliveries more than 24 hours after OETA are counted as late; deliveries arriving over 24 hours early count as on-time; bad order cars and cross-border shipments are excluded; unit trains are excluded from OETA reporting.
Methodology Docs, Data Posting, And Records
Each Class I carrier must provide a methodology document with its initial weekly data submission and update it when the carrier changes methods; the Board will post these methodology documents on its website. Carriers must preserve supporting data for reports for three years under 49 CFR 1220.6, and the Board can require carriers to change methodologies or submit revised metrics and can audit records.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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