National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) submits these Reply Comments in response to the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB or the Board) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in “Reciprocal Switching for Inadequate Service,” Board action that focuses on providing rail customers with access to reciprocal switching as a remedy for poor service, based around three measures of carrier success or failure, namely: (1) service reliability; (2) service consistency; and (3) adequacy of local service.

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) submits these comments in response to the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB or the Board) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in “Reciprocal Switching for Inadequate Service,” which focuses on providing rail customers with access to reciprocal switching as a remedy for poor service, based around three measures of carrier success or failure, namely: (1) service reliability; (2) service consistency; and, (3) adequacy of local service. NSSGA is the leading voice and advocate for the aggregates industry. NSSGA members use freight rail to

On behalf of the 450 members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to express our strong support for the Reliable Rail Service Act.

On behalf of the 450 members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), we praise your leadership on advancing legislation that increases the safety on our railways, one of the most crucial industries in America. NSSGA is encouraged by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s work to approve S. 576, the Railway Safety Act, and hopes that the Committee will continue to discuss and consider innovative solutions to help aid this vital part of our nation’s infrastructure.

On behalf of the members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to again thank the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for meeting with us on January 24th and to update the STB on issues that we have confronted with freight rail service in early 2023. As a reminder, the  NSSGA membership comprises of stone, sand, and gravel manufacturers and the equipment makers and service providers who facilitate their operations. Our member firms contribute to over 90% of the crushed stone and 70% of the sand and gravel used yearly in the United States.

The undersigned organizations representing the majority of bulk commodities transported by our nations Class I railroads write to you to urge the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to prioritize a full committee hearing dedicated to the challenges and opportunities related to Class I freight rail transport reliability. Reliability and safety go hand in hand – staffing shortages and railroads' failure to adequately invest the resources required to ensure adequate capacity create challenges on both fronts.

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (“NSSGA”) submits these written comments to the Surface Transportation Board (“STB” or “Board”) pursuant to the November 22, 2022, Notice from the STB in the proceeding referenced above, which permits interested stakeholders to submit testimony or comments on the issues raised in the November 22, 2022, Notice in this matter. NSSGA is the leading voice and advocate for the aggregates industry. Our members are stone, sand, and gravel producers and the equipment manufacturers and service providers who support them.

As the President & CEO of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to implore Congress to avert a rail strike at all costs. The association’s 400 members are a critical part of effectively implementing the bipartisan infrastructure bill. They rely heavily on freight rail to get products where they need to be. A freight rail strike would have a tremendous impact on our industry’s ability to supply the construction materials needed for projects around the country.

On behalf of the members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to share our strong support of the Freight Rail Shipping Fair Market Act. I thank the committee for their leadership in drafting this legislation that will improve shipping conditions, allowing America’s aggregates producers to move essential building materials and industrial sand to the market. NSSGA is the leading voice and advocate for the aggregates industry. It is no secret that rail service conditions are failing for the aggregates industry.

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) President and CEO Michael Johnson issued the following statement on the recent crisis facing freight rail shippers and its impact to the aggregates industry. NSSGA recently submitted comments to the Surface Transportation Board detailing these issues and urging action.