Chartered Institution of Railway Operators
The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (founded in 1999 and registered in 2000 as the Institution of Railway Operators (IRO)) is the professional body for all those engaged or interested in railway operations and its allied disciplines. It exists for its members and the rail industry as a whole. It was awarded Chartered status on 1 October 2021. Corporate member companies. Most of the current train and freight operating companies (TOC's & FOC's) in the UK fall into this category. Also included is the Heritage Railway Association(HRA). Local sections. The CIRO has a number  of local sections in a number of countries. Internationally, there are sections in: In the U.K.: There is also a Young Operators section specialised for young people working on the national network and the Railway Engineers Forum (REF) which is a multi-disciplinary body drawn from Professional Institutions with strong railway interests. Membership grades. Membership grade is dependent on the individual member's experience and / or formal qualification. Headquarters. The headquarters of the CIRO is located in Stafford, West Midlands. CIRO Learning & Development. The CIRO has its own section for learning and development, and provides a means of competence certification  for personnel undertaking work in the railway operations sector. The CIRO promotes Learning & Development through Continuing Professional Development, the Mentoring Scheme and Academic Courses. The CIRO aims to provide a focus for raising standards through the use of Short Courses in a bespoke training portfolio and longer courses to educate Railway Operations Management to Certificate, Diploma and Degree level.