Lone Star College, Union Pacific and Texas Operation Lifesaver partner for trucker safety

HOUSTON, TX -- Knowing how to navigate railroad crossings safely is critical for today’s truck driver. Operation Lifesaver reported 1,901 highway-rail grade crossing collisions, resulting in 688 injuries and 198 deaths in 2020. Lone Star College, a leader in training transportation professionals, has teamed up with Union Pacific and Texas Operation Lifesaver to help drivers understand the best way to approach and cross railroad tracks.

“Safety is not just a chapter in a book,” said Linda Leto Head, LSC Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, External and Employer Relations. “We want safety to be embedded in all our training and change how our students see safety.”

Union Pacific donated passive railroad crossing signs and provided consulting services on the design and implementation of two simulated railroad crossings which will be used at the LSC-Transportation and Global Logistics Technology Center.

“We are pleased to work with Lone Star College and the Texas Operation Lifesaver to proactively prevent railroad crossing accidents,” said Andrey Drozdov, Union Pacific, Houston Area General Manager of Transportation. “Every railroad crossing is different and this training will ensure Lone Star College students are prepared to understand how they can approach and cross in a safe manner.”

Texas Operation Lifesaver, a public safety organization committed to reducing the number of tragic incidents at highway-rail grade crossing intersections, is donating their time to provide Operational Lifesaver presentations and safety curriculum.

“Thank you for the opportunity to partner and thank you, Union Pacific, for inviting us to provide additional educational opportunities,” said Jessica Devorsky, Texas Operation Lifesaver. “Operation Lifesaver educates about 15,000 Texas per year and is grateful for this partnership to provide Operation Lifesaver presentations to all incoming students.”

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2021 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.

Lone Star College and Lone Star Corporate College partnered with leadership from Union Pacific and Texas Operation Lifesaver for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the LSC-Transportation & Global Logistics Technology Center. Pictured are: (back row left to right) Linda L. Head, LSC, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor; David Welch, Union Pacific Southern Region Total Safety Culture Facilitator; Nic Hammond, Union Pacific Special Agent, Senior Supervisor Division Police; Martin Molina, LSC Instructor; Gary Barbin, Union Pacific Houston Service Unit Total Safety Culture Facilitator; Jeffrey Joubert, LSC instructor. (Middle row, left to right) Erik Lewis, Union Pacific Manager Industry and Public Projects; Lorie Latigo, LSC Senior Manager; Charles Gustafson, Union Pacific Senior Manager Remote Control Operations; Clint Schelbitzki, Union Pacific Asst Vice President Public Affairs Southern Region. (Front row, left to right) Jessica Devorsky, Texas Operation Lifesaver Executive Director; Jill Metcalf, LSC Director; Buck Russel, Union Pacific Senior Supervisor Public Safety; Richard Zientek, Union Pacific Senior Director Public Affairs; Andrey Drozdov, Union Pacific General Manager Houston Transportation; Micki Jain, LSCC Executive Director.