WASHINGTON — Rail safety organization Operator Lifesaver Inc., in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration and Pittsburgh’s Posner Foundation, has awarded more than $219,000 for rail safety awareness campaigns in 11 states, OLI announced today (April 24, 2025).
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s grant recipients, whose innovative approaches are advancing rail safety education,” OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh said in a press release. “Their dedication and creativity in sharing this lifesaving message make a real difference in communities nationwide. We are especially grateful for our continued partnerships with the Federal Railroad Administration and the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, whose support makes these critical outreach efforts possible.”
The FRA provided $175,000 of the total $219,155 in funding, which will address campaigns in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
“FRA is very pleased to continue its support of Operation Lifesaver Inc.’s lifesaving efforts to combat preventable grade crossing and trespassing incidents and casualties,” said James Payne, Staff Director of the FRA Grade Crossing and Trespasser Outreach Division. “This grant funding allows OLI state organizations to conduct highly effective public outreach to deter the leading cause of rail-related deaths.”
The Posner Foundation will supplement the funding in Texas and fully fund campaigns in California and Florida.
“Increasing the public’s awareness about grade crossing risks, trespass prevention and suicide are rail industry challenges worldwide,” said Henry Posner III, chairman of the Posner Foundation and the Railroad Development Corp. “In the USA, Operation Lifesaver is front and center in dealing with these societal problems through education and advocacy. For the seventh consecutive year, we are honored to not only provide funding but to stand as dedicated supporters of OLI’s lifesaving mission.”
State-by-state plans include:
—California: A rail safety awareness campaign for Rail Safety Month will run throughout September, with a key focus on See Tracks? Think Train! Week (Sept. 15-21). Using geofencing, connected TV, digital media platforms and digital radio, the campaign will target high-risk areas with the highest rates of trespassing and grade crossing incidents aiming to educate at-risk populations and change dangerous behaviors to save lives.
— Florida: Operation Lifesaver will use geofencing to push rail safety education information to individuals approaching railroad tracks. The organization will enlist a heatmap of all the incidents in Florida to identify – and target – all seven of Florida’s top incident locations.
— Illinois: Operation Lifesaver will partner with minor league baseball teams the Windy City Thunderbolts (Crestwood) and Thrillville Thrillbillies (Marion) to engage families in community safety discussions. The initiative will reach thousands of attendees through on-site activations, digital promotions and multi-channel advertisements.
— Indiana: A digital outreach campaign will address the rising number of railroad crossing collisions in Indiana. Running from September to mid-October, the campaign will use geo-targeted digital ads, streaming PSAs and social media outreach, and distribute branded Emergency Notification System materials.
— Minnesota: Operation Lifesaver will complete its Professional Driver Education video series by translating tsafety videos and social media clips into Spanish and Somali, creating 14 new digital assets. This expansion will ensure critical railroad safety messages reach a broader audience, particularly professional drivers.
— Missouri: Operation Lifesaver will partner with Learfield Communications in launching a statewide campaign emphasizing rail safety education to prevent collisions and injuries, using broadcast, digital media and in-person events.
— New York: OLI will partner with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Long Island Rail Road, and New York & Atlantic Railway on a public awareness campaign to combat the rising trend of train surfing among young teens. The campaign will use short, engaging videos mimicking user-generated content, in-feed ads and influencers to reach at-risk youth. Additionally, targeted outreach will take place in schools and community organizations along high incident train lines.
— South Carolina: The project will focus on Greenville, which ranks first in the state for highway-rail collisions and third for trespassing incidents. Partnerships with city officials, law enforcement, and media will leverage major public events — such as the Greenville Jazz Festival and Swamp Rabbits Hockey games — to educate the community, raise awareness and reduce rail-related incidents.
— Tennessee: Operation Lifesaver will use an ESPN geo-targeting live stream campaign in the areas of Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Tri-Cities to spread the rail safety education message.
— Texas: The program will target rail safety education among professional and independent truck drivers. Utilizing a comprehensive advertising strategy incorporating streaming, display ads, and podcast advertising, the campaign will ensure truck drivers are well-informed about railroad crossing safety and reinforce key safety messages.
— Washington: Operation Lifesaver will focus on areas of known and recurring trespass incidents through an extensive digital campaign featuring advertising, social media messaging and targeted in-person outreach.
More information about Operation Lifesaver, including a virtual library of rail safety materials, is available at the organization’s website.
