Threat Assessment Progress Called ‘Encouraging’

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 29, 2008) — During a three-hour, closed-door meeting today, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) introduced the two contractors who will perform the congressionally-mandated assessment of the terrorism threat to school buses.

Representatives from Bay First Solutions, LLC and ABS Consulting presented their plan for developing a report to members of the National School Transportation Association. According to NSTA industry specialist Robin Leeds, the two contractors shared a matrix of possible scenarios in which a school bus would be threatened.

In January, the House Committee on Homeland Security criticized TSA’s inaction, following a meeting on implementing the 9/11 Commission's mandates for improving the nation’s infrastructure, including making the school bus system safer. At the time, TSA was unable to answer the committee's questions on report budgeting and methodology.

According to Leeds, the two contractors will meet with law enforcement and representatives from school bus employee associations over the next few weeks to refine the list of scenarios further. While there are no more meetings scheduled before the report’s August due date, the TSA pledged to continue communicating with NSTA via e-mail.

Leeds called this progress "encouraging."