APTA Urges Continued Funding Of Public Transportation Information Sharing Analysis Center And Implementation Of 9/11 Commission Report Recommendations

Contacts: Virginia Miller (202) 496-4816 vmiller@apta.com
or Donna Aggazio (202) 496-4884 daggazio@apta.com.

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In testimony today before the House Committee on Government Reform, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) asked Congress to urge the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund the Public Transportation Information Sharing Analysis Center (ISAC) and for the Administration to reach a consensus on a forward looking transportation security plan which will provide the $6 billion in funding necessary to address critical public transportation security needs. Both of these actions are vital to keep the millions of Americans who use public transportation systems safe.

Safety and security has been and continues to be a top priority of the public transportation industry. From September 11, 2001 through the end of 2003, public transportation agencies invested $1.7 billion from their own budgets on security and emergency preparedness programs and technology, developed in concert with the Federal Transit Administration.

"Americans use public transportation 32 million times a day, compared to less than 2 million daily passengers on the nation's commercial air travel system," said APTA Vice President Duff. "To date, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has allocated a total of $115 million to 30 of the nation's 6,000 transit systems for security compared to over $12 billion allocated to protect the nation's air system."

To address the unmet one-time and annual security needs that the public transportation industry has identified needs of at least $5.2 billion in additional capital funding to maintain, modernize, and expand transit system security functions to meet increased security demands. Over $800 million annually in increased operating costs for security personnel, training, technical support, and research and development have been identified, bringing transit security funding needs to $6 billion.

The Public Transit ISAC collects, analyzes and distributes critical security and threat information from government and other sources. Best security practices and plans to eliminate threats, attacks, vulnerabilities and countermeasures are drawn upon to protect the sector's cyber and physical infrastructures. The ISAC is full service, responding to indications and warnings on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week. Currently, over 130 transit systems participate in the Public Transit ISAC.

Present funding of $1.2 million for the initial two years of operation for the Public Transit ISAC expires in February 2005. In January 2004, as the sector coordinator, APTA applied for continued funding for the Public Transit ISAC through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The public transportation industry currently awaits approval for this request.
"Public transportation is recognized as one of our nation's critical infrastructures," said APTA Vice President, Government Affairs, Daniel Duff. "Failure to further fund the Public Transportation Information Sharing Analysis Center would take away a resource that the federal government has encouraged, the General Accounting Office has supported, and one that has proven to be valuable for our nation's public transportation systems."

APTA also asked Congress to instruct the DHS and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop and implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to specify the responsibilities of each agency with respect to public transportation security.

The 9/11 Commission Report has noted the accessible and extensive nature of railroads and public transportation in its section on transportation security. The report also comments on the current federal security efforts and the lack of a forward-looking strategic plan to systematically analyze assets and risks. APTA urges the creation of such a strategic plan and the funding necessary to implement its measures.

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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions, and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. Over ninety percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA members.

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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions, and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. Over ninety percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA members.