January 29, 2009, - 3:37 pm

Homeland Non-Security: American Rail, Buses Still Completely Vulnerable to Terrorist Attack

By Debbie Schlussel
Yes, it’s more expensive. But, according to a new TSA/Department of Homeland Security report, you might want to choose flying over riding the bus or train when you travel.
Over 75% of major railways and bus systems in America are unsafe and vulnerable to attacks. They don’t meet minimum Homeland Security guidelines for preparedness in case of an attack. For example, they don’t include training transit workers in security, running regular security drills, and sharing intelligence with government agencies.

The first federal evaluation of mass-transit security shows that more than 75% of the nation’s major rail and bus systems aren’t meeting Homeland Security guidelines.
By contrast, 96% of airlines are complying with security requirements, according to a new report by the department. The report doesn’t identify which rail and bus systems fell short.

Among the things the bus and rail systems didn’t do:
* Conduct regular security inspections
* Check employee and contractor backgrounds (Ahmed and Mohammed can apply, no prob)
* Limit access to security-related documents
* Write plans to deal with various threats
* Train all employees in security awareness
I’m not sure why TSA and DHS made this report public. But I know I’m not the only one reading it. I’m sure our Islamic terrorist buddies are brushing up on it, also. If I were a terrorist, a train or bus would be the best place to attack. There is none or almost no screening, I could easily get my weapons and/or explosives on board, and based on this report, the rails and buses are completely unprepared for attacks and disasters.
Who is responsible for this? Well, for one thing, the bus and railway companies and public agencies that run and oversee them and public rails. But, then there are the people who oversaw the Department of Homeland Security for the last 5-6 years and did nothing. The fish rots from the head down. And in this case (and many others), the rotten head is Michael Chertoff. He did nothing about this, and instead hung out with extremist Muslim leaders.
Don’t expect Janet Napolitano a/k/a “The Lesbionic Woman” to be much of an improvement.






12 Responses

The Washington metro has no security at all. I’m always a little wary on it. Anyone can get into the stations and then into the subway cars with no security at all. If I were a terrorist, that would be prime target. It seems like every Muslim in the world is moving into the Washington metro area.

Gabe on January 29, 2009 at 4:19 pm

And of course, there are the MINIMUM guidelines that they don’t meet. I’m sure that almost 100% don’t meet the MAXIMUM guidelines. Of course public oversight is a joke; just filled with careerists waiting to leave public service & start working for the bus or train companies.
But there’s one DHS goal I’m sure was met. I’m sure the diversity and multicultural goals, re employee workforce composition and indoctrnation (oops, I mean education) were met. Isn’t that really more iimportant?

c f on January 29, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Also, incredible! The f-i-r-s-t- federal evaluation of train/bus security is coming out almost 7 1/2 years after 9/11? Wow, they must have really rushed it!

c f on January 29, 2009 at 5:00 pm

I bet the terrorists know our security capabilities for rail and bus better than we do.
Anyone can walk through a train station. If the Metra and lines near me are any indication, most stations have no employees at all (security or otherwise), and some for only a couple hours per day. As for bus stops, you have got to be kidding. Bombs or chemical weapons can be planted on busses and trains to go off in or near the major stations before any kind of security (assuming there is any) would even be involved.
As for airplane safety, while the press has ignored this there have been several “trial runs” since 9/11 which have included passengers charging the cockpit doors.
Lastly, and I hope this has changed since 9/11, many airline employees had access to the secure parts of airports without ever having to go through security. I know this for a fact since I was one of them (and this was at a major US airport). All the airline I was working for had to do was sign something indicating they had done a background check on me. If I was a betting person I would bet that background check was nothing more than what most large employers do when they hire someone. I know for a fact other than when I applied for employment I never signed anything else with my employer giving them permission to do a background check on me.

i_am_me on January 29, 2009 at 6:10 pm

I went to the train station in my town a couple of years ago, and I saw a suitcase sitting all by itself. I watched it for a while, and then I told a station employee about it. Nothing was done.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
Maybe we could deputize and then arm private citizens, so that everywhere you go, there would be armed, plain-clothes deputies, authorized to shoot-to-kill if they see a terrorist. Someone like that could call the local police to come deal with the possible bomb. He could also order an evacuation of the train station, bus, or whatever.
Of course, said deputies would need to have a thorough background check before becoming deputies; and they would be held to a higher scrutiny than ordinary citizens.
I’d be willing to do that for free, if they would train me and provide me with a concealed weapon.

PersonOfTheBook on January 29, 2009 at 6:38 pm

Passenger screening will not work, all it does is inconvenience passengers. The locomotive is not accessible while in motion so that’s not a problem. Land transportation is far more vulnerable to outside sabotage of bridges, tracks, crossings, switches, etc. There are thousands of miles of desolate track and road that can be disturbed. A man in Arizona did just that to a creek bridge and derailed an Amtrak train some years ago. Sending a train into a lake or river would kill many more than a bomb in a single car would. Trains are pretty tough but deep water would drown many.
Bus tires could be shot out while going around a mountain curve, sending it down the mountain. Planes are also quite vulnerable during their final approach. They can’t fence things off far enough away to keep small arms fire from doing major damage. I’m really not sure what could be done but passengers should not be the sole attention here.

Rocky on January 29, 2009 at 7:03 pm

******************
Miss Schlussel, Et Alii:
Are you kidding?
I don’t want any more security measures on any public transportation!
I already refuse to go near an airport, and will never fly again, precisely because of the continuing anti-American abuse of passengers.
I love riding on Amtrak passenger trains because they do not harrass me, and if I choose, I can have the peace of mind of being armed, so long as I don’t advertise that fact.
Now that you have your own concealed weapons license, you need to change your way of thinking.
Today’s legal system encourages violent criminal behavior by creating helpless victims out of the average citizen.
Citizens have little recourse except to arm themselves, legally or otherwise, and are compelled to operate outside the law.
If every citizen is armed, then terrorists and criminals are effectively deterred from their nefarious actions.
I hope our government doesn’t ruin one of the last remaining pleasures in my life, that of enjoying a nice long trip aboard a choo choo train.
Thank you.
John Robert “Saigon” Mallernee
Commander in Exile
O.U.R. Army
(i.e., the “Outlaw Underground Rebel” Army)
******************

writesong on January 29, 2009 at 9:21 pm

The only solution for having a safer America is to have a more devastated attack on America than September 11, 2001.
Trust me, believe me, it is the only way.
We have to feel the pain, all of us, not just some buildings in some cities.
It has to be a widespread devastation so that the American people and their government actually DO something to fight Islamic terrorism, domestically and overseas.
I would prefer an attack on Congress and the White House where those who care about the terrorists are wrapped up in their power.
Almost 8 years since September 11 and America still worries about the rights and freedoms of the terrorists who killed her citizens.
Keep it up.
We are going to lose.
Millions are going to be killed.
And we deserve it.

Independent Conservative on January 30, 2009 at 1:29 am

Hi Independent Conservative,
Unfortunately I agree with your premise and have posted that several times in the past. We won’t reawaken until we have another 9/11.
Shortly after 9/11 when my wife would go to Long Island I would take her to Bridgeport and she would take the ferry to Port Jefferson, for quite a while thereafter there would be armed National Guardsman at the ferry ramp and they would spot check passengers. Nobody seemed to mind or act like they were inconvenienced. There were Bridgeport Police boats in the harbor and a small Coast Guard boat would accompany the ferry on it’s trip across the Long Island Sound. She has not made the trip in some years now due to illness, but I don’t imagine there are many if any security precautions being taken now.
Bob A.

Bob A. on January 30, 2009 at 7:53 am

Bob A.,
Make sure you and your wife have your will ready before leaving your home to go anywhere.
Somehow it’s safer to live in Saudi Arabia than in America.
Look at what we have become:
A nation of sissies, of cowards, of politically correct bastards, of globalists who worry about what the terrorists and their supporters would think about us.

Independent Conservative on January 30, 2009 at 10:05 am

Independent Conservative, I agree with you 100%. We are mentally beat. Our psyche was not damaged by terrorists, but the liberal media and the masses who have no convictions. KING HUSSEIN COBRAMA is the wet dream of the liberals and the emasculation occurred on election night. Here in California, sometimes I feel like picking a fight with these punks and cowards.
As for buses and trains. The last time I was on Amtrak, there is no security. As for Greyhound, I wouldn’t even think of going on that thing. The smell on a greyhound would make anyone turn back and get their money back. Rent a car if you are that desperate. We have to live with it, that is part of freedom. We should profile Muslims. They are at war with us and democracy.

californiascreaming on January 30, 2009 at 3:42 pm

No public transportation in the US is safe. We’re letting the terrorists move here. And we’re giving them jobs in homeland security. The only way to reduce threats from terrorists is to deport all the Muslims. Deporting the Chinese wound save us trillions in lost military and industry secrets.

joe_nw on January 31, 2009 at 11:48 pm

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