Reliable Rail Service Act of 2025

This bill amends federal rail transportation law to require rail carriers to provide service that meets a shipper's reasonable service requirements, including timely, efficient, and reliable service. It adds new factors for the Surface Transportation Board to consider when determining if a carrier has violated its common carrier obligation, and sets deadlines for proceedings and remedies for violations.

Sec. 2, Common carrier transportation: The bill revises section 11101 of title 49 to require rail carriers to provide transportation or service on reasonable request in a manner that meets the shipper's need for timely, efficient, and reliable rail service and fulfills the shipper's reasonable service requirements. When deciding if a carrier violated this duty, the Board must consider: impacts of changes in service frequency, schedules, and delivery windows; reductions in employment levels, including clerical, customer service, maintenance, dispatch, train and engine service employees, and crew availability or consolidation; reductions in equipment, infrastructure, or shifting of equipment; whether service meets the person's local operational and service requirements; the person's transportation needs based on previous service experience and facility limitations; the person's commitment of equipment or other resources; whether carrier-imposed conditions are required to meet local service requirements or allow the carrier to recover variable costs; how the carrier handles equipment owned by others; and whether carrier-imposed conditions like demurrage are reasonably reciprocated. The bill also requires that service terms include reasonable transit or cycle times and other service standards consistent with the person's needs. Any proceeding for an alleged violation must be expedited and completed within 180 days; proceedings to obtain service terms must be completed within 45 days. If the Board finds a violation, it must prescribe reasonable transit or cycle times or other service standards to deliver property consistent with the person's needs.