More Rail Tank Cars Meet DOT-117 Safety Standards in 2021

Crude oil fleet exceeds 85% compliance in 2021, up from 80% in 2020

In accordance with the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released its Fleet Composition of Rail Tank Cars Carrying Class 3 Flammable Liquids: 2022 Report. The report discusses the progress in upgrading the rail tank car fleet to the DOT-117 standard, which meets new safety requirements, and summarizes the types of rail tank cars carrying Class 3 flammable liquids. There is a rolling phase out schedule of tank cars based on both tank car type and flammable liquids carried. In 2021, 57% of all rail tank cars carrying Class 3 flammable liquids were built to the new DOT-117 or DOT-117R specification.

Inventory of Rail Tank Cars Carrying Class 3 Flammable Liquids

There were no phase-out deadlines in 2021. The next major deadline is in 2023. The next major deadline is in 2023, when all DOT-111 and CPC-1232 tank cars are prohibited from carrying ethanol. A large proportion (78%) of ethanol carrying cars in 2021 already met the new DOT-117 standards. There were 7,473 tank cars carrying ethanol in DOT-111 and CPC-1232 which are due to be replaced with DOT-117 cars.

Survey results indicate that 8,322 DOT-117 and DOT-117R tank cars are projected to be built or retrofitted in 2022.

Phase-Out Targets and Dates for Rail Tank Cars Carrying Class 3 Flammable Liquids

In 2021, 103,312 rail tank cars were used to carry Class 3 flammable liquids, an increase of 10% from the 94,335 tank cars used in 2016. In 2016, only 8% of the fleet carrying crude oil and other Class 3 flammable liquids consisted of DOT-117s (new or retrofitted), compared to 57% in 2021. For crude oil alone, 87% of the tank car fleet in 2021 consisted of DOT-117s, up from 81% in 2020.

The annual BTS report is required under FAST Act, Section 7308. Additionally, Section 7308(c) requires BTS to estimate the anticipated number of DOT-117 tank cars for each year from 2018 through 2029 by collecting data from tank car shops that build or retrofit tank cars. It is expected that, by the end of 2029, all Class 3 flammable liquids will be carried in rail tank cars that meet or exceed DOT-117 specifications.