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RailAmerica Executive Wins Prestigious ‘Safety Person of the Year’ Award
3/26/2009 1:00:00 AM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (March 27, 2009) – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has named Robert D. Jones, vice president of RailAmerica’s West Region, as the 2008 “Safety Person of the Year.” Jones was recognized for his tireless dedication to safety and innovative leadership, not only in his region, but across all of RailAmerica. In 2008, all eight railroads in the West Region achieved an injury-free year. In addition, as head of RailAmerica’s Cross-Regional Safety Team, Jones led the company to its safest-ever year in 2008.
RailAmerica is the nation’s leading owner and operator of regional and short-line railroads. The company’s West Region comprises 250 employees and nearly 1,800 miles of track across Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington.
In 2007, Jones customized a program developed by David Sarkus and outlined in his book, “The Safety Coach: Unleash the 7Cs for World-Class Safety Performance,” to a railroad environment. Jones ingrained the 7Cs – caring, coaching, correcting, confirming, collaborating, clarifying and conciliating – into the West Region’s safety culture, emphasizing a caring, positive approach to safety. Due to its success, Jones led the charge to implement the 7Cs model across all of RailAmerica’s properties. The results were significant – in 2008 personal injuries were reduced by 35 percent, and the company’s FRA frequency index (the number of injuries per 200,000 man hours) was reduced to 1.64, the best in RailAmerica’s history.
“I am truly honored and humbled by this award,” Jones said. “RailAmerica’s safety record is a team effort. From our senior management, which provides necessary resources and a supportive environment, to our front-line employees who never compromise on safety, everyone contributes to the strong safety culture at RailAmerica.”
Jones will be recognized at the ASLRRA’s annual convention in Las Vegas on April 27. John Giles, RailAmerica’s CEO, says Jones is extremely deserving of the award.
“Due to Bob’s leadership and vision, we have established an affirmative safety culture throughout RailAmerica that emphasizes positive reinforcement and compassion for the individuals who work at our railroads,” Giles said. “Bob personally taught the 7Cs to RailAmerica’s five other regions, impacting more than 400 employees and demonstrating that a culture of caring can produce tremendous results.”
ASLRRA is a non-profit trade association that represents the interests of more than 400 short-line and regional railroad members in legislative and regulatory matters. Short-line and regional railroads, which operate over relatively short distances and serve as “driveways” linking customers to the large Class I railroad superhighways, are an important and growing segment of the railroad industry. Today, they operate and maintain 29 percent of the American railroad industry's route mileage and account for 9 percent of the rail industry's freight revenue and 11 percent of railroad employment. Crews on short-line and regional railroads are on and off equipment much more frequently than large Class I railroads, making safety an extremely important focus for the industry.
About RailAmerica, Inc.
RailAmerica is a leading owner and operator of North American regional and short-line railroads. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., the company operates railroads in 27 states and three Canadian provinces, with more than 8,000 miles of track. The company’s West Region consists of the Arizona & California Railroad; the San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad; the Ventura County Railroad; the San Joaquin Valley Railroad; the California Northern Railroad; the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad; the Cascade & Columbia River Railroad; and the Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad. For more information, visit www.railamerica.com.
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Michelle King
michelle.king@railamerica.com
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