1. Transit Security Training and Education Overview
Eva Lerner-Lam
President, Palisades Group USA
Presented to The Education and Technology Transfer Subcommittee of the Critical Transportation Infrastructure Protection Committee
TRB 2004 Annual Meeting
January 12, 2004

2. Overview Current Strategies Future Outlook and Challenges
Recommendations

3. Pre-9/11
Security Training and Education focused primarily on localized, non-suicidal, petty crimes: graffiti, vandalism, robberies, assault and battery

4. Post-9/11
Security Training and Education expanded to include large-scale, suicide attacks and weapons of mass destruction and cyber-terrorism

5. Post-9/11 Response “Connecting Communities”
Involving the Customer in alert status and process
“Empowered” transit to engage with other first responders in training, tabletop and field exercises and practice drills

6. Current Initiatives
Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration
Centers for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorist Events
Federal Transit Administration
National Transit Institute
Web resources at
Transportation Research Board
Transit Security Program at:

7. Current Initiatives Trade and Professional Associations Labor Unions
American Public Transportation Association
American Society of Civil Engineers
Institute of Transportation Engineers
Labor Unions
Amalgamated Transit Union
USDOT Joint Program for ITS Teleconference Technical Training T3

8. Future Outlook and Challenges
Urgency of on-going drills and practice
Many training curricula are still in development
Funding for Security Training and Education is severely budget-constrained
Additional burden on existing operations staff

9. Recommendations
Integrate security education and training into standard operating procedures, in same manner as “Safety First,” but recognize the clear distinction between Safety and Security; Safety is not Security and Security is not Safety.
Leverage existing and potential partnerships at all levels and across relevant disciplines
Publish and encourage the use of “best practices” using traditional training venues as well as distance-learning platforms