Transportation Security Debate 09-18-09

Yesterday afternoon the NationalJournal.com web site added two more contributions to their week long debate about transportation security. The two comments were from James P. Hoffa, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Ed Hamberger, President and CEO, Association of American Railroads. They both address freight security issues.

Teamster Comments 

Hoffa notes two freight security issues; inadequate security training and lack of risk communications with communities along rail lines. On security training he writes: “Our nation’s rail system remains vulnerable to a terrorist attack. The rail workers we represent – locomotive engineers, trainmen, and track and bridge workers – still do not have adequate security training.”

The TSA currently requires train crews to receive IED recognition training and provided DVD’s to conduct that training earlier this year. It would be interesting to find out if this training has been conducted and what other training Mr Hoffa would like to see included in ‘adequate security training’.

On risk communications he notes: “Freight rail corporations, however, still do not give fire and rescue operators real-time information about their trains’ cargo.” I am not sure that there is a real need to tell every local government organization when every railcar of hazardous material runs thru their jurisdiction, but there is certainly a need to have the information available if needed.

The freight rail security rule put into place earlier this year required railroads to give that information to State Fusion Centers who would act as clearing house for the information for local emergency response personnel.

AAR Comments 

Hamberger brags about the progress the railroad have made in security matters since 9/11. He does make the pitch for the use of inherently safer technologies to rid the rails of highly toxic substance when he writes: “And until safer technologies are used as a substitute for these highly toxic substances, the nation’s railroads will remain the safest mode for the transportation of hazardous materials.”

The AAR has long staked out their position that while they can safely handle toxic inhalation hazard (TIH) chemicals like chlorine and anhydrous ammonia, they do not like being stuck with the liability for accidents/incidents involving those chemicals. As long as no one else will share their liability they would just as soon that they did not have to carry those chemicals.