Most BRS represented employees working under national agreements have access to a valuable benefit, the existence of which many members are unaware of.  The Off-Track Vehicle (OTV) accident benefit can become extremely beneficial for members who may have the misfortune of being involved in an accident in a company vehicle operating off-track.  This important Agreement provision can also be available to an employee using his/her personal automobile in the absence of company provided transportation.  Such covered activity would include authorized use of a personal vehicle to directly report for, or return from, trouble calls after the normal hours of one’s assignment, or for other Carrier authorized work.  OTV benefits were first negotiated into existence on April 21, 1969, with numerous amendments in the years since, the most recent of which occurring in September of 2003.  The OTV provision of the national agreement provides an accidental death benefit of $300,000 in an off-track vehicle accident.  The same benefit amount applies to the following losses sustained in an off-track vehicle accident: 

• loss of both hands
• loss of both feet
• loss of sight in both eyes
• loss of one hand and one foot
• loss of one hand and sight in one eye
• loss of one foot and sight in one eye

The agreement additionally provides a $150,000 benefit for the loss of one hand or one foot or sight in one eye.  OTV also contains coverage for time loss as a result of an off-track vehicle accident.  This coverage consists of payments up to $1000.00 per week to be made within thirty days following a covered accident and continuing for up to 156 weeks following the accident.  If you would like to learn more about the OTV accident benefits provided by your collective bargaining agreement contact your local chairman, a general committee officer, or view the entire document under the Agreements tab in the member resources area at brsbnsfgc.org.

While the OTV benefit is indeed quite valuable, the committee recommends members also consider purchasing uninsured and underinsured motorist coverages which will cover you while at work.  These additional coverages are relatively inexpensive and can serve as a supplement to the OTV benefit discussed above.  We certainly hope you never need the insurance, but in the unfortunate event an accident occurs, you and your family will be grateful you have it.