(a) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, each railroad, or a contractor or a subcontractor of a railroad, shall report to the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC 20590, each instance of excess service listed in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, in the manner provided by paragraph (f) of this section, within 30 days after the calendar month in which the instance occurs.

(b) For train employees. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the following instances of excess service by train employees must be reported to FRA as required by this section:

(1) A train employee is on duty for more than 12 consecutive hours.

(2) A train employee continues on duty without at least 10 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours. Instances involving duty tours that are broken by less than 10 consecutive hours off duty which duty tours constitute more than a total of 12 hours time on duty must be reported.1

(3) A train employee returns to duty without at least 10 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours. Instances involving duty tours that are broken by less than 10 consecutive hours off duty which duty tours constitute more than a total of 12 hours time on duty must be reported.1

(4) A train employee returns to duty without additional time off duty, equal to the total amount of time by which the employee's sum of total time on duty and time spent awaiting or in deadhead transportation to the point of final release exceeds 12 hours.

(5) A train employee exceeds a cumulative total of 276 hours in the following activities in a calendar month:

(i) Time spent in covered service;

(ii) Time spent awaiting or in deadhead transportation from a duty assignment to the place of final release; and

(iii) Time spent in any other service at the behest of the railroad.

(6) A train employee initiates an on-duty period on more than 6 consecutive days, when the on-duty period on the sixth consecutive day ended at the employee's home terminal, and the seventh consecutive day is not allowed pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or pilot project.

(7) A train employee returns to duty after initiating an on-duty period on 6 consecutive days, without 48 consecutive hours off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(8) A train employee initiates an on-duty period on more than 7 consecutive days.

(9) A train employee returns to duty after initiating an on-duty period on 7 consecutive days, without 72 consecutive hours off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(10) A train employee exceeds the following limitations on time spent awaiting or in deadhead transportation from a duty assignment to the place of final release following a period of 12 consecutive hours on duty:

(i) 40 hours in any calendar month completed prior to October 1, 2009;

(ii) 20 hours in the transition period from October 1, 2009-October 15, 2009;

(iii) 15 hours in the transition period from October 16, 2009-October 31, 2009; and

(iv) 30 hours in any calendar month completed after October 31, 2009.

(c) Exception to requirements for train employees. For train employees who provide commuter rail passenger transportation or intercity rail passenger transportation during a duty tour, the following instances of excess service must be reported to FRA as required by this section:

(1) A train employee is on duty for more than 12 consecutive hours.

(2) A train employee returns to duty after 12 consecutive hours of service without at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.

(3) A train employee continues on duty without at least 8 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours. Instances involving duty tours that are broken by less than 8 consecutive hours off duty which duty tours constitute more than a total of 12 hours time on duty must be reported.2

(4) A train employee returns to duty without at least 8 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours. Instances involving duty tours that are broken by less than 8 consecutive hours off duty which duty tours constitute more than a total of 12 hours time on duty must be reported.2

(5) A train employee, after first initiating an on-duty period each day for 6 or more consecutive calendar days including one or more Type 2 assignments, the last on-duty period of which ended at the employee's home terminal, initiates an on-duty period without having had 24 consecutive hours off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(6) A train employee, after first initiating an on-duty period each day for 6 or more consecutive days including one or more Type 2 assignments, initiates two or more on-duty periods without having had 24 consecutive hours off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(7) A train employee, after initiating on-duty periods on 13 or more calendar days during a series of at most 14 consecutive calendar days as defined in §228.405(a)(3)(i), the last of which ended at the employee's home terminal, then initiates an on-duty period without having had at least two consecutive calendar days off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(8) A train employee, after initiating an on-duty periods on 13 or more calendar days during a series of at most 14 consecutive calendar days as defined in §228.405(a)(3)(i), then initiates two or more on-duty periods without having had at least two consecutive calendar days off duty at the employee's home terminal.

(d) For dispatching service employees. The following instances of excess service by dispatching service employees must be reported to FRA as required by this section:

(1) A dispatching service employee is on duty for more than 9 hours in any 24-hour period at an office where two or more shifts are employed.

(2) A dispatching service employee is on duty for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period at any office where one shift is employed.

(e) For signal employees. The following instances of excess service by signal employees must be reported to FRA as required by this section:

(1) A signal employee is on duty for more than 12 consecutive hours.

(2) A signal employee continues on duty without at least 10 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours.

(3) A signal employee returns to duty without at least 10 consecutive hours off duty during the preceding 24 hours.

(f) Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, reports required by paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section shall be filed in writing on FRA Form F-6180-33 with the Office of Railroad Safety, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC 20590. A separate form shall be used for each instance reported.

(g) Use of electronic signature. For the purpose of complying with paragraph (f) of this section, the signature required on Form FRA F-6180-3 may be provided to FRA by means of an electronic signature provided that:

(1) The record contains the printed name of the signer and the date and actual time that the signature was executed, and the meaning (such as authorship, review, or approval), associated with the signature;

(2) Each electronic signature shall be unique to one individual and shall not be used by, or assigned to, anyone else;

(3) Before a railroad, or a contractor or subcontractor to a railroad, establishes, assigns, certifies, or otherwise sanctions an individual's electronic signature, or any element of such electronic signature, the organization shall verify the identity of the individual;

(4) Persons using electronic signatures shall, prior to or at the time of such use, certify to the agency that the electronic signatures in their system, used on or after the effective date of this regulation, are the legally binding equivalent of traditional handwritten signatures;

(5) The certification shall be submitted, in paper form and signed with a traditional handwritten signature, to the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer; and

(6) Persons using electronic signatures shall, upon agency request, provide additional certification or testimony that a specific electronic signature is the legally binding equivalent of the signer's handwritten signature.

(h) Exception. A railroad, or a contractor or subcontractor to a railroad, is excused from the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (f) of this section as to any employees for which—

(1) The railroad, or a contractor or subcontractor to a railroad, maintains hours of service records using an electronic recordkeeping system that complies with the requirements of subpart D of this part; and

(2) The electronic recordkeeping system referred to in paragraph (h)(1) of this section requires—

(i) The employee to enter an explanation for any excess service certified by the employee; and

(ii) The railroad, or a contractor or subcontractor of a railroad, to analyze each instance of excess service certified by one of its employees, make a determination as to whether each instance of excess service would be reportable under the provisions of paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, and allows the railroad, or a contractor or subcontractor to a railroad, to append its analysis to its employee's electronic record; and

(iii) Allows FRA inspectors and State inspectors participating under 49 CFR part 212 access to employee reports of excess service and any explanations provided.

[74 FR 25349, May 27, 2009, as amended at 76 FR 50397, Aug. 12, 2011]