TSA/FBI Terrorism and Transportation Conference Brings Together Several
Levels on the Task

NEW YORK CITY — More than 700 federal, state, international and local law enforcement, intelligence, and private sector professionals convened during a July terrorism and transportation conference to address means of thwarting terrorist attacks.

“It was primarily a venue where experts could interact, share best practices, and discuss emerging trends relating to terrorism directed at critical transportation infrastructure,” said FBI Spokesperson Brian Hale. “Attendees were able to share information about mitigating threats to their transportation systems.”

Although the July meeting, jointly sponsored by the FBI and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the largest of its kind, did not hold any sessions specifically aimed at school transportation, the subject was the center of many discussions.

“During the opening general session, one of the keynote speakers set the crowd abuzz by referencing the fact that on any given school day there area approximately 500,000 school buses out on the road carrying 25 million children,” said NAPT Executive Director Mike Martin. “It became very clear during this meeting that DHS/TSA is finally getting the message we have been trying to deliver since we first met with them in 2003 — the school transportation industry needs help with terrorism prevention, we need it just as much as anyone else and we need it pronto.“

Keynote speakers at the New York City conference included local FBI Assistant Director in Charge Mark Mershon, TSA Administrator Kip Hawley, New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly, United States Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen, and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Superintendent Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr.

“Teamwork, partnership, sharing — up, down and across organizations — is a requirement,” said TSA Administrator Hawley in his address.

Although there are no official plans for a follow-up to the conference, attendees said it was very valuable, and they would like to see one held in the future, according to TSA Spokesperson Carrie Harmon.

“We plan to e-mail a survey to all registrants in the near future and look forward to getting additional feedback” added Harmon.

TSA will hold regional workshops in an effort to bring together representatives from the various modes of transportation in a similar format, with the first one scheduled for September 4-5 in Nashville, Tenn., and a second in Las Vegas, on Sept 25-26.