www.stnonline.com 45
identify security preparation and attitudes. We compiled a significant amount of in- formation, but the bigger picture did not become clearer until Congress in late 2007 mandated that TSA undertake a nation- wide security risk analysis of school buses. While it took a considerable amount
of time to complete, the final risk assess- ment document was officially submitted to Congress in early 2010. Although it is marked as “sensitive security infor- mation (SSI),”
it is available to select
professionals in the school transporta- tion industry on a “need-to-know basis” by e-mailing
HighwaySecurity@dhs.gov. While we can’t be too specific about the findings in this publication, we can say that it confirmed on a national ba- sis almost everything we’d been hearing from industry leaders and individuals: Tey needed real information about real threats, and they needed real help in identifying and implementing effective mitigation tools. To date, TSA has not issued security
rules for the school bus industry; virtually every advance made by school transpor- tation systems has been voluntary. We’ve stepped in with a pledge to provide timely, credible threat information as we receive it. We are confident that we’ve identified a valuable array of best practices to serve as guidance to the operators of school sys- tems operating in America. Tat effort was substantially boosted last year when our partners in the major associations intro- duced our guidance in the National School Transportation Congress. Adopted by the highly respected session, those practices are now a vital part of the recommended actions for every school district. In 2004, TSA and its school transporta-
tion industry partners stepped forward using congressionally earmarked grant funds to create a security awareness training program titled “School Bus Watch.” Al- most simultaneously, TSA commissioned the creation of the School Transportation Security Awareness (STSA) online training program. More recently, the TSA-driven First Observer program has issued its own specific school transportation security awareness training program, which is avail- able online at
www.firstobserver.com and in classroom presentation format. It is our objective this year to distribute a
DVD with both the First Observer School Bus and STSA programs to all 14,000-plus public school systems in America, with an official request that local administrators use it as mandatory in-service training. Tis division has also created a school bus security pocket guide that will soon go into its second printing. It’s only natural at the 10-year com-
memoration of 9/11 to ask the obvious questions. Have we been effective in these 10 years? Are we better prepared
today to prevent a terrorist act in our school transportation system? My answer is a resolute, “Yes!” But
maybe not for the reason you think. We’re better off not only be-
cause TSA or HMC are necessary to combat terrorism and domes- tic crime but also because the industry itself is led by some of the most dedicated and hard- working public servants I’ve ever encountered. Tey’ve been effec- tive at energizing the critical issue of school transportation security and advocating the needs of the industry to find and implement
ways to meet the threat. In turn, they’ve made us more effective in assembling, vetting and sharing industry best practices. Regulations may one day follow;
they are, after all, the only way to make the few reluctant operators and districts believe that the risks only increase for those who aren’t prepared. In reality, the ultimate effectiveness of the tools we’ve created since 2001 depends on the resourcefulness and dedica- tion
of the professionals who
work in the school transporta- tion industry every day.
I’m personally honored to have
been part of the progress made thus far and I assure you that the TSA Highway and Motor Carrier Division remains dedicated to our partnership. Not a day goes by when we aren’t reminded of the task we share. I look forward to our continued growth — together. ■
Arrington is a former Maryland state trooper and is currently the GM of the Office of Highway and Motor Carrier at TSA. He can be reached directly at
william.ar-
rington@dhs.gov.
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