[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR240.307]

[Page 688-690]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 240_QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS--Table 
of Contents
 
         Subpart D_Administration of the Certification Programs
 
Sec. 240.307  Revocation of certification.

    (a) Except as provided for in Sec. 240.119(e), a railroad that 
certifies or recertifies a person as a qualified locomotive engineer 
and, during the period that certification is valid, acquires information 
which convinces the railroad that the person no longer meets the 
qualification requirements of this part, shall revoke the person's 
certificate as a qualified locomotive engineer.
    (b) Pending a revocation determination under this section, the 
railroad shall:
    (1) Upon receipt of reliable information indicating the person's 
lack of qualification under this part, immediately suspend the person's 
certificate;
    (2) Prior to or upon suspending the person's certificate, provide 
notice of the reason for the suspension, the pending revocation, and an 
opportunity for a hearing before a presiding officer other than the 
investigating officer. The notice may initially be given either orally 
or in writing. If given orally, it must be confirmed in writing and the 
written confirmation must be made promptly. Written confirmation which 
conforms to the notification provisions of an applicable collective 
bargaining agreement shall be deemed to satisfy

[[Page 689]]

the written confirmation requirements of this section. In the absence of 
an applicable collective bargaining agreement provision, the written 
confirmation must be made within 96 hours.
    (3) Convene the hearing within the deadline prescribed by either 
paragraph (c)(1) of this section or the applicable collective bargaining 
agreement as permitted under paragraph (d) of this section;
    (4) Determine, on the record of the hearing, whether the person no 
longer meets the qualification requirements of this part stating 
explicitly the basis for the conclusion reached;
    (5) When appropriate, impose the pertinent period of revocation 
provided for in Sec. 240.117 or Sec. 240.119; and
    (6) Retain the record of the hearing for 3 years after the date the 
decision is rendered.
    (c) Except as provided for in paragraphs (d), (f), (i) and (j) of 
this section, a hearing required by this section shall be conducted in 
accordance with the following procedures:
    (1) The hearing shall be convened within 10 days of the date the 
certificate is suspended unless the locomotive engineer requests or 
consents to delay in the start of the hearing.
    (2) The hearing shall be conducted by a presiding officer, who can 
be any qualified person authorized by the railroad other than the 
investigating officer.
    (3) The presiding officer will exercise the powers necessary to 
regulate the conduct of the hearing for the purpose of achieving a 
prompt and fair determination of all material issues in controversy.
    (4) The presiding officer shall convene and preside over the 
hearing.
    (5) Testimony by witnesses at the hearing shall be recorded 
verbatim.
    (6) All relevant and probative evidence shall be received unless the 
presiding officer determines the evidence to be unduly repetitive or so 
extensive and lacking in relevancy that its admission would impair the 
prompt, orderly, and fair resolution of the proceeding.
    (7) The presiding officer may:
    (i) Adopt any needed procedures for the submission of evidence in 
written form;
    (ii) Examine witnesses at the hearing;
    (iii) Convene, recess, adjourn or otherwise regulate the course of 
the hearing; and
    (iv) Take any other action authorized by or consistent with the 
provisions of this part and permitted by law that may expedite the 
hearing or aid in the disposition of the proceeding.
    (8) Parties may appear and be heard on their own behalf or through 
designated representatives. Parties may offer relevant evidence 
including testimony and may conduct such examination of witnesses as may 
be required for a full disclosure of the relevant facts.
    (9) The record in the proceeding shall be closed at conclusion of 
the hearing unless the presiding officer allows additional time for the 
submission of information. In such instances the record shall be left 
open for such time as the presiding officer grants for that purpose.
    (10) No later than 10 days after the close of the record, a railroad 
official, other than the investigating officer, shall prepare and sign a 
written decision in the proceeding.
    (11) The decision shall:
    (i) Contain the findings of fact as well as the basis therefor, 
concerning all material issues of fact presented on the record; and
    (ii) Be served on the employee.
    (12) The railroad shall have the burden of proving that the 
locomotive engineer's conduct was not in compliance with the applicable 
railroad operating rule or practice or part 219 of this chapter.
    (d) A hearing required by this section which is conducted in a 
manner that conforms procedurally to the applicable collective 
bargaining agreement shall be deemed to satisfy the procedural 
requirements of this section.
    (e) A hearing required under this section may be consolidated with 
any disciplinary or other hearing arising from the same facts, but in 
all instances a railroad official, other than the investigating officer, 
shall make separate findings as to the revocation required under this 
section.

[[Page 690]]

    (f) A person may waive the right to the hearing provided under this 
section. That waiver shall:
    (1) Be made in writing;
    (2) Reflect the fact that the person has knowledge and understanding 
of these rights and voluntarily surrenders them; and
    (3) Be signed by the person making the waiver.
    (g) A railroad that has relied on the certification by another 
railroad under the provisions of Sec. 240.227 or Sec. 240.229, shall 
revoke its certification if, during the period that certification is 
valid, the railroad acquires information which convinces it that another 
railroad has revoked its certification after determining, in accordance 
with the provisions of this section, that the person no longer meets the 
qualification requirements of this part. The requirement to provide a 
hearing under this section is satisfied when any single railroad holds a 
hearing and no additional hearing is required prior to a revocation by 
more than one railroad arising from the same facts.
    (h) The period of certificate suspension prior to the commencement 
of a hearing required under this section shall be credited towards 
satisfying any applicable revocation period imposed in accordance with 
the provisions of Sec. 240.117.
    (i) A railroad:
    (1) Shall not determine that the person failed to meet the 
qualification requirements of this part and shall not revoke the 
person's certification as provided for in paragraph (a) of this section 
if sufficient evidence exists to establish that an intervening cause 
prevented or materially impaired the locomotive engineer's ability to 
comply with the railroad operating rule or practice which constitutes a 
violation under Sec. 240.117(e)(1) through (e)(5) of this part; or
    (2) May determine that the person meets the qualification 
requirements of this part and decide not to revoke the person's 
certification as provided for in paragraph (a) of this section if 
sufficient evidence exists to establish that the violation of Sec. 
240.117(e)(1) through (e)(5) of this part was of a minimal nature and 
had no direct or potential effect on rail safety.
    (j) The railroad shall place the relevant information in the records 
maintained in compliance with Sec. 240.309 for Class I (including the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation) and Class II railroads, and 
Sec. 240.15 for Class III railroads if sufficient evidence meeting the 
criteria provided in paragraph (i) of this section, becomes available 
either:
    (1) Prior to a railroad's action to suspend the certificate as 
provided for in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; or
    (2) Prior to the convening of the hearing provided for in this 
section;
    (k) Provided that the railroad makes a good faith determination 
after a reasonable inquiry that the course of conduct provided for in 
paragraph (i) of this section is appropriate, the railroad which does 
not suspend a locomotive engineer's certification, as provided for in 
paragraph (a) of this section, is not in violation of paragraph (a) of 
this section.

[58 FR 19004, Apr. 9, 1993, as amended at 60 FR 53137, Oct. 12, 1995; 64 
FR 60994, Nov. 8, 1999]