Bureau of Transportation and Safety

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The Bureau of Transportation and Safety is responsible for regulating various aspects of railroad safety, gas safety, and motor carrier safety and enforcement. It is comprised of three divisions: Motor Carrier Services and Enforcement, Rail Safety and Gas Safety.

Motor Carrier Services and Enforcement Division

The four District Offices - located in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Scranton, and Pittsburgh regularly inspect and audit companies to ensure that trucks, buses, taxis, and limousines comply with the Public Utility Code and Commission regulations. The Divisions Compliance Office reviews the work of the district offices and prepares all informal and formal enforcement actions. This unit also processes all uncontested motor carrier applications. The Insurance Filing Unit processes motor carrier tariff filings and ensures that all motor carriers operating in Pennsylvania maintain appropriate insurance.

Rail Safety Division

The Rail Safety Division is responsible for rail crossing and bridge safety. It monitors compliance with the Federal Railroad Administrations track, operating practice and freight car standards. It reviews and approves the acquisition of railroad property; the abandonment of branch lines; the abandonment and curtailment of passenger service; and the safety of clearances. It also monitors the safety needs at crossings, including the proper installation and operation of flashing lights and gates. Companies must receive permission by the Commission to construct, alter, relocate, suspend or abolish a rail/highway crossing. There are approximately 5,000 bridges and 7,500 grade crossings in the state under PUC jurisdiction.

Gas Safety Division

The gas utilities serve over 2 million natural gas customers in urban and rural territories. The pipelines include transmission lines, main lines, service lines, regulator stations, compressor stations and gas meter installations. Inspections deal with operation, maintenance, damage prevention, emergency response and drug and alcohol misuse prevention programs. They include reviews of company records along with field inspections of the physical facilities to identify safety violations. Depending on the seriousness of a violation, penalties may range from a notice of violation requiring corrective action to a formal investigation resulting in a fine.

The Gas Safety Division, through an agreement with the federal Department of Transportations Office of Pipeline Safety, enforces the federal gas pipeline safety regulations and the Commissions own gas safety regulations.