Headquarters Washington, DC Annual budget $1.561 billion (2008) | Employees 850 | |
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Formed April 1, 1967; 49 years ago (1967-04-01) Jurisdiction United States Government Agency executive Sarah Feinberg, Administrator | ||
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of FRA is to promulgate and enforce rail safety regulations, administer railroad assistance programs, conduct research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy, provide for the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service, and consolidate government support of rail transportation activities.
Contents
The FRA is one of 10 agencies within DOT concerned with intermodal transportation. It operates through seven divisions under the offices of the Administrator and Deputy Administrator. These divisions are: Financial Management and Administration, Chief Counsel, Civil Rights, Public Affairs, Public Engagement, Railroad Policy and Development, and Safety. It has a staff of about 850.
Leadership
Until the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, Sarah Feinberg was the Administrator of the FRA. Feinberg was the second woman to lead the agency. Her appointment was announced by United States Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on January 12, 2015 and confirmed on October 28, 2015. Feinberg had previously served as Foxx's Chief of Staff, managing DOT's ten modal organizations, and spearheading its legislative, policy, and communications efforts. Feinberg's tenure as Administrator featured a greater emphasis on the enforcement of safety rules and regulations relative to her predecessors.
Patrick T. Warren, Executive Director of the FRA, is the current acting Administrator pending the appointment and confirmation of a new Administrator.
Previous FRA Administrators include:
Safety Initiatives
In June 2015, the FRA announced that Google would include the FRAs GIS data into its mapping services. The data pinpoints the location of over 250,000 rail crossings in the United States. The FRA believes that providing the location of rail crossings in maps will enhance crossing safety by people who are using navigation systems while driving.