Homeland and National Security

Strategic Outcomes

• Reduce the vulnerability of the transportation system and its users to crime and terrorism.
• Increase the capability of the transportation system to meet national defense needs.

Transportation security is equal in importance to transportation safety. The Department's objective is to contribute to homeland and national security by providing strategic mobility, and by working in tandem with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to minimize the vulnerability of the U.S. transportation system to disruption, damage, or exploitation through crime or terrorism. In FY 2004, Departmental homeland and national security programs continued providing strategic mobility to the Department of Defense (DOD) and continued reducing the transportation system's vulnerability to crime and terrorism.

Departmental Performance Goals

1. Increase national defense capability.
2. Ensure sufficient contingency sealift and commercial outload ports are available to support DOD mobilization requirements.

Although there were no specific performance measures assigned to the HTF modes in support of this strategic objective, the following are actions the modes took to improve the security of the nation's transportation system.

FHWA

FHWA improved transportation security; supported national defense mobility; and improved disaster preparedness, response, and recovery through collaboration with its federal, state and local government partners, private industry, and the DHS. FHWA also delivered emergency response preparedness workshops in 17 of the top 30 metropolitan areas and 12 other key locations, including freight-intensive corridors.

FHWA worked closely with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the development of the National Transportation Systems Security Plan that provides the overall framework for the programs and activities needed to enhance transportation security.

In FY 2004, FHWA supported the Department's efforts to establish and maintain an effective interaction between the transportation industry and the DHS. FHWA staff provided a wide range of technical assistance to the Department's Office of Intelligence and Security in high level security venues including the Homeland Security Council, the Deputies Committee, and the Interagency Incident Management Group.

FHWA also represented the Department on a number of security working groups with the DHS, including the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee and its Maritime Transportation Security Subcommittee, Operation Safe Commerce Executive Steering Committee, Universal Electronic Freight Manifest Initiative, Border Station Partnership Council, US/Mexico Bridges and Border Crossings Group, Trans Border Working Group, Assessment Working Group of the Interagency Coordinating Team for Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-8, and Risk Assessment Roundtable. FHWA provided technical advice and assistance to DHS and its operating administrations on the effectiveness and impact of proposed security regulations, policies, or procedures from the perspective of the highway owner/operator and user communities.

Following September 11, 2001, FTA has taken actions to improve transit security.

Finally, FHWA worked closely with AASHTO to address transportation security concerns. FHWA participated in the AASHTO's Task Force on Transportation Security, which published a number of guidance documents, including a Guide to Vulnerability Assessments, a Guide to Updating Highway Emergency Response Plans for Terrorist Attacks, a National Needs Assessment for Ensuring Transportation Infrastructure Security, and a survey of security R&D needs.

FTA

Public transportation has been a frequent terrorist target, including bombings in the London and Paris subways, the Sarin gas attack in Tokyo, and bus bombings in Israel. The Department's Office of Intelligence and Security estimated that in the 1990's, transit was the target of 20 to 35 percent of terrorist attacks worldwide. Though FTA is limited by statute with regard to transit safety and security, it required its large grant recipients to establish comprehensive safety and security programs and demonstrate their technical capacity to carry out those programs.

Following September 11, 2001, through assessments, training, emergency response drills, and accelerated research on chemical detection systems and other security technologies, FTA found the most important actions that transit agencies needed to take immediately to enhance their security were public awareness, employee training, and emergency preparedness. In this light, FTA accomplished the following:

• Top 20 Security Action Items. The Department/FTA published the Top 20 Security Action Items for transit providers and provided technical assistance to the 50 largest transit agencies (serving approximately 80 percent of all transit customers) to implement the recommended action steps.
• Transit Security Public Awareness. The Department/FTA developed and launched “Transit Watch” in the fall of 2003. This nationwide emergency response passenger awareness program provided transit agencies a variety of media to encourage passengers to be aware of and look for suspicious or unusual activity, understand how and when to communicate their concerns with transit officials, and know how to exit systems in the event of an emergency. This program was developed and implemented in partnership with the APTA, Community Transportation Association of America, American Transit Union, and TSA in the DHS.

FMCSA

In FY 2003, the Secretary transferred responsibility for developing security risk procedures for all persons seeking issuance, renewal, upgrade, or transfer of HAZMAT endorsement for a CDL from FMCSA to TSA. In FY 2004, FMCSA coordinated with and supported TSA in implementing HM security risk procedures through publication of companion rules. Additionally, FMCSA participated with an American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators-sponsored Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act working group to help the states implement the TSA security requirements.