In the NEWS

Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM

Highlights from our daily newsfeed at www.securitysolutions.com

• DOT TAPS PRIVATE INDUSTRY FOR HELP WITH SECURITY

  The Department of Transportation (DOT) has formed a senior advisor program to bring private sector best practices to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Under this program, executives from some of the nation's leading firms will be loaned to the TSA to help establish the new agency. “We need to tap into the expertise of the private sector as we shape the Transportation Security Administration, the first federal agency of the 21st century,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y Mineta. “It is essential that the security systems of TSA effectively deter terrorism, but with minimal disruption to transportation and complete service to travelers and other users of transportation; and we're turning to the private sector to join us in this effort.” The executives will bring a wide range of private sector expertise in areas including procurement, recruiting, metrics and quality, operations and process modeling, training and development, organization design, and effectiveness. Each participant, appointed as an intermittent consultant in the federal government, will play a hands-on role in critical projects relating to their specific areas, but they will not be in decision-making or supervisory roles. (posted Jan. 23, 2002)

• LEGISLATION INTRODUCED FOR INCREASED BUS SECURITY

  U.S. Senator Max Cleland (D-Ga.) has introduced legislation that would provide $400 million to fund security upgrades across the U.S. intercity bus or motorcoach industry. “In the wake of the current challenge to our national transportation security, we must ensure that no component of passenger service is forgotten,” Cleland said. “We have made great strides in the improvement of security at airports, and are working on security at rail terminals, but I believe Congress would be negligent if we do not act on this issue while we have the opportunity.” Under the provisions of the bill, grants would be administered by the Secretary of Transportation. The grants would be applied to: protecting drivers; implementing passenger screening programs; constructing or modifying existing terminals; training employees in terrorist threat assessment; hiring security officers; and installing video surveillance and communications equipment. Motorcoaches carried an estimated 774 million passengers in 1999, far in excess of the passenger load carried by the airlines, and more in two weeks than Amtrak carries in one year. The industry has the best safety rating of any commercial passenger transportation mode, with the fewest annual on-board fatalities over the past decade, according to National Safety Council data. (posted Jan. 10, 2001)

---

Get timely updates to industry news every day at www.securitysolutions.com

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue