§ 241.9 Prohibition against extraterritorial dispatching; exceptions.

General.(a) Except as provided in § 241.7 and paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a railroad subject to this part shall not require or permit a dispatcher located outside the United States to dispatch a railroad operation that occurs in the United States if the dispatcher is employed by the railroad or by a contractor to the railroad.

Transitional period to continue existing extraterritorial dispatching.(b) A railroad that has normally extraterritorially dispatched railroad track in the United States from Canada or Mexico pursuant to the regulations contained in 49 CFR part 241, revised as of October 1, 2002, may continue extraterritorial dispatching of that railroad track until April 10, 2003, to permit the railroad an opportunity to file a waiver request pursuant to § 241.7.

Emergencies.(c) (1) In an emergency situation, a railroad may require or permit one of its dispatchers located outside the United States to dispatch a railroad operation that occurs in the United States, provided that:

(i) The dispatching railroad notifies the Safety Management Team Railroad Administrator, in writing as soon as practicable, of the emergency; and

(ii) The extraterritorial dispatching is limited to the duration of the emergency.

(2) Written notification must be made by electronic mail.

https://railroads.dot.gov/divisions/regional-offices/safety-management-teams.(3) A list of the FRA Safety Management Teams and contact information is available at

Liability.(d) The Administrator may hold either the railroad that employs the dispatcher or the railroad contractor that employs the dispatcher, or both, responsible for compliance with this section and subject to civil penalties under § 241.15.

[67 FR 75960, Dec. 10, 2002, as amended at 90 FR 28191, July 1, 2025]