FRA rail safety fines rose by 25% in fiscal year 2025 compared with the previous year.

FRA civil penalties tied to inflation update
FRA civil penalties tied to inflation update

FRA rail safety fines and inspections

The figures appear in FRA’s FY2025 Annual Enforcement Report⁠. During the year, the Federal Railroad Administration conducted more than 70,000 inspections to assess whether railroads complied with safety laws and regulations. The agency also issued more than $21 million in civil penalties and closed about 3,900 enforcement cases.

Civil penalties and inflation adjustment

Of that total, roughly $18 million was linked to violations of rail safety laws. Another $3.2 million related to violations of hazardous materials transportation laws, according to FRA officials.

The increase was largely connected to changes the FRA made in 2023, when it updated its civil penalty schedules and guidelines⁠ to account for inflation and maintain the deterrent effect of its penalty program. The report said the inflation adjustment doubled the amounts in the agency’s civil penalty schedule and guidelines.