Mobility over the years has remained a critical element in determining the rate and extent of the nations economic growth due to its crucial role of transporting human capital, goods and services between destinations. According to the Federal Transit Administration (2002), the demand for higher security and safety has risen over the years and therefore demanding use of more advanced technology to counter safety and security threats. With the September 11th New York terrorist World Trade Center terrorist attack revealing the vulnerability of the nation, the transit systems equally require to establish effective response mechanisms. Besides, analysts indicate that Americans special attachment to mobility has equally resulted to key straining of the transport infrastructure especially near and in the major cities.
As the United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates transport sectors has equally been a key contributor to other societal critical issues such as air quality and fuel consumption. However, it is the problem related to safety that has kept the Transport Department on its toes as it tries to remain at par with the present global trends.
Goals and objectives
It is from the above consideration that this paper seeks to explore the transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation. Particularly, the paper seeks to establish the present legislative viewpoints towards addressing the above issues in the transport sector. Besides, it further seeks to determine the efficacy of these legislations while analyzing their capacity to cope with emerging issues. The paper finally seeks to make key recommendations that can be used to address some of the problems in the nation.
Methodology
To meet the above objectives, the paper will be discussed from analysis of related literature on transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation. Particularly, there will be a wide reference from the department of transport to establish the facts related to the topic.
Results and presentation
The results will be presented in a synthesized research paper format and subsequent PowerPoint to further explain them. It is from the above consideration that this research is considered timely and indeed very crucial to the whole nation.
Effective policies and legislations that guarantee holistic transit safety and security are the cornerstone to the nations growth and development in that they strategically guide the operations, create an inherent room for improvement and therefore guarantee sustainability at all levels. As the Federal Transit Administration indicates, mobility is the central factor that drives the power of demand and supply which further molds the need for creativity and innovation in the market (Vukan, 1999). This paper evaluates the transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation to determine their efficiency and finally derive key recommendations for possible improvements.
An overview of the nations transit policies and their administration
United States transport systems are operated through a number of policies and legislations applied through the Department of Transportation. The Urban Mass Transport Act of 1964 created the Federal Transit Administration that serves as the main agency to the Department of Transport in the nation. In its latter amendment of 1970, the legislation sought to create high level standards for highway operations to generate the need for grater safety and security. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act on the other hand was established in 1991 to improve the model of planning the transit systems in the nation. The Federal Transit Administration as Edward (2008) explains is changed with the responsibility of enhancing the needed security in the nations transport systems. The Safe and Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act of 2005 (referred as the highway bill) sought to increase the funding to the Departments of Transport and therefore facilitate its ability to address its major programs including enhancing safety and security. Notably, the transit safety and security in the nation further incorporates other demands such as from, Occupational Safety and Health Administration in setting major standards (Katherine, 2008).
Use of transit safety and transportation certification in the United States
Importance of certification assimilated in the transit industry
In his view, Edward (2008) indicates that the United States Department of transports best system of addressing the inherent security and safety problems was through licensure of the different transit related entities in the country. Under this consideration therefore, analysts argued that poor design of transit systems was a key potential risk to the people on transit. As a result, the department of transport established certification for the different transit systems in the nation. Though entrepreneurs initially complained that certification demands were increasing their operation costs, Edward (2008) explains that they later agreed that the safety and security outlook was crucial for the business, the public and the shareholders too.
Major security and safety threats such as accidents and poor systems designs as Katherine (2008) indicates, could easily be eliminate by employing specified procedures that emphasize on high standards for al the major transit related projects. Taking into consideration that transport services in the country are offered by the government in conjunction with the private entities, lack of clear guidelines could easily culminate to the latters profits orientation overriding the demand for safety security in the nation (Edward, 2008).
Notably, through the Federal Transit Administration office of Safety and Security sought, the certification process achieved the following considerations. To begin with, FTA (2010) indicates that it was able to identify key activities that could result to major safety outlook and therefore address them in advance. Besides, Vukan (1999) indicates that by emphasizing on certification, it is able to incorporate the safety and response measures well in advance and therefore create a highly proactive system of management in a company.
Application of the lifecycle procedures for certification
Planning and preliminary engineering
Lifecycle application by FTA in the nation is considered to be critical in that it provides an effective strategic mechanism of emphasizing safety at all stages of the key projects. At the initial stage, the project management is expected to provide the necessary planning and preliminary engineering basement to FTA before proceeding to the next stage (Katherine, 2008). At this level, it becomes easy to identify and articulate high standards at the basement level and therefore create a route path for durability and sustainability. As Katherine (2008) continues to say, most entrepreneurs often seek to cut down their costs by compromising on some standards during the early stages. However, this is effectively controlled at this stage.
Construction and integrated testing
Following the effective completion of the initial stage of the project preparation, FTA allows the construction to proceed under its own guidelines before conducting further testing to confirm for compliance by the engineers. At this stage, FTA office of Safety and Security comes in to bring further considerations for improvement on security and safety. As United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates, major vulnerability assessments, integrated testing further preparedness are conducted in the process. Following the emphasis o f these demands, Edward (2008) argues that it is the main factor that have seen improvement in safety and security in the transport sectors.
Revenue-operations and operations
Similar to other projects and entrepreneurial activities, projects intended for business are required to comply with the nations revenue policies. However, the revenue collected from such projects are critical in the safety and security administration as they facilitate programs under FTA including the certification itself to run smoothly (Edward, 2008). Latter constant analysis further facilitates FTA to maintain track of the different units status in the nation.
Transit safety and security systems in the department of Transport
According to the Federal Transit Administration, the department of the transport has over the years responded to different problems and issues in the transport sector by establishing respective programs and units for addressing them.
Use of transit security design to improve security
Transit security design initiative is considered to be the most comprehensive system of addressing security in the transport sector. Since the September 11 world trade center terrorist attack, the response to create preparedness has been very comprehensive and expanded to other transport systems. United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates that transit security design therefore established a highly responsive threat as well as vulnerability evaluation for all the 36 major transit agencies in the nation. In addition to that, it offers key support to their administration in creating the necessary security threat response systems. It is worth noting that the Federal Transit Administration either directly or indirectly creates a holistic partnership with the highly vulnerable units to counter the problem.
To further facilitate greater efficacy in addressing the problem, James (2005) indicates that the Federal Transit Administration established and facilitated assimilation of effective communication between the transit agencies and the department. Indeed, by creating an effective highly interoperable system, it becomes easy to monitor possible threats and counter them on time before wrecking havoc. Some of the employed communication systems include the wireless, wire-line, Operations Control Centers and Public Communication. Though these communication systems as James (2005) further indicates that it presents some of the best technological advancements of the time, Edward (2008) argues that the transit systems are still insecure.
Security Manpower Planning Model
According to Vukan (1999) security initiatives have over the years assisted the Department of Transport through its Federal Transit Agency in addressing inherent security issues to the people. In the year 2008, the Federal Transport Administration established the Security Manpower Planning Model for planning the resources in the department to address issues in the transport sector. This model as the Federal Transit agency indicates came as a reinforcement of the previous security and emergency management program of the year 2007 which sought to establish the best possible response method to use during emergencies. While emphasizing on the importance of resources in addressing security problems and effecting effective counter measures, security analysts indicate that this model facilitates greater precision for such considerations (United States Department of Transport, 2010b).
As the Federal Transit Administration further indicates, this model creates a room for the different stakeholders to be incorporated in creating the best response system to increase the overall safety. While augmenting this consideration, United States Department of Transport, (2010a) denotes that it forms one of the key mechanisms for implementing best practices in the department.
Emergency management in the transit systems
Analysts appear to concur with the Federal Transit Administration that for an effective safety system to be implemented, the involved stakeholders must be able to address emergency situations whenever they arise. To effect this consideration therefore, FTA facilitates and foresees preparedness for such cases in its staff and other transit related staff. Edward (2008) indicates that through the National Transit Institute, FTA has established key recommendations on how to cope with emergency cases. While emphasizing that indeed there is no single area that could be termed secure in the 21st century, Edward (2008) adds that most of the transit employees have undergone through the program.
As United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates, FTA further coordinates with the Department of Homeland Security in providing specific emergency management programs that makes it easy for them to identify possible threats and address them without causing extensive repercussions. Though the department of the Homeland Security has tended to remain secretive in such mechanisms, Katherine (2008) explains that they at times incorporate use of highly sophisticated out-of-public equipments to identify and suppress security and safety threats. Owing to the rising threats targeting the public in transit, the need to expand emergency preparedness and management programs to the public has intensified with time. However, such application should be employed with caution to avoid malicious threats from using similar technology in advancing their threats.
Use of training and public awareness initiatives
Transit safety and security systems as United States Department of Transport (2010a) points out, requires an effective approach where stakeholders are considered to create the needed force towards enhancing maximum safety in the nation. By empowering people at the grassroots level, FTA indicates that the whole problem of security becomes nationally appreciated and therefore easily supported by many. To facilitate effective training in the transit agencies, James (2005) notes that the Federal Transit Administration collaborates with training institutions and other industry experts at various levels.
While intensifying training to the transport industry staff, James (2005) argues that FTA has increasingly resulted to incorporating the public in managing the security and safety orientation. In the year 2003 the Department of Transport established the Transit Watch and Transit Watch Toolkit that encouraged the public to increase participation in improving the nations security (James, 2005). The director of FTA by then, Jennifer Dorn emphasized that most the prior initiatives by FTA had failed due to lack of effective public involvement (United States Department of Transport, 2010b) ). Between the years 2003 and 2006, the transport agencies intensified their communication to the public on safety during transport a consideration that has been greatly credited in strengthening collaboration between FTA and the general public in intensification of security and safety.
It is from the above discussion that this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement, Effective policies and legislations that guarantee holistic transit safety and security are the cornerstone to the nations growth and development in that they strategically guide the operations, create an inherent room for improvement and therefore guarantee sustainability at all levels. It came out clearly from the discussion that policies and programs established under the policies have played a critical role in determining the current status of safety and security in the country. Though the security and safety systems have assisted the nation to move with speed in its growth and development trends in the last decade, it is critical that they are further intensified for higher development. There is particular need to involve the public more kin the security programs as the main stakeholder being protected by the legislation. Finally, funding for these initiatives should be increased to facilitate easier articulation at all levels.
As the United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates transport sectors has equally been a key contributor to other societal critical issues such as air quality and fuel consumption. However, it is the problem related to safety that has kept the Transport Department on its toes as it tries to remain at par with the present global trends.
Goals and objectives
It is from the above consideration that this paper seeks to explore the transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation. Particularly, the paper seeks to establish the present legislative viewpoints towards addressing the above issues in the transport sector. Besides, it further seeks to determine the efficacy of these legislations while analyzing their capacity to cope with emerging issues. The paper finally seeks to make key recommendations that can be used to address some of the problems in the nation.
Methodology
To meet the above objectives, the paper will be discussed from analysis of related literature on transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation. Particularly, there will be a wide reference from the department of transport to establish the facts related to the topic.
Results and presentation
The results will be presented in a synthesized research paper format and subsequent PowerPoint to further explain them. It is from the above consideration that this research is considered timely and indeed very crucial to the whole nation.
Effective policies and legislations that guarantee holistic transit safety and security are the cornerstone to the nations growth and development in that they strategically guide the operations, create an inherent room for improvement and therefore guarantee sustainability at all levels. As the Federal Transit Administration indicates, mobility is the central factor that drives the power of demand and supply which further molds the need for creativity and innovation in the market (Vukan, 1999). This paper evaluates the transit safety and security systems and policies in the nation to determine their efficiency and finally derive key recommendations for possible improvements.
An overview of the nations transit policies and their administration
United States transport systems are operated through a number of policies and legislations applied through the Department of Transportation. The Urban Mass Transport Act of 1964 created the Federal Transit Administration that serves as the main agency to the Department of Transport in the nation. In its latter amendment of 1970, the legislation sought to create high level standards for highway operations to generate the need for grater safety and security. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act on the other hand was established in 1991 to improve the model of planning the transit systems in the nation. The Federal Transit Administration as Edward (2008) explains is changed with the responsibility of enhancing the needed security in the nations transport systems. The Safe and Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act of 2005 (referred as the highway bill) sought to increase the funding to the Departments of Transport and therefore facilitate its ability to address its major programs including enhancing safety and security. Notably, the transit safety and security in the nation further incorporates other demands such as from, Occupational Safety and Health Administration in setting major standards (Katherine, 2008).
Use of transit safety and transportation certification in the United States
Importance of certification assimilated in the transit industry
In his view, Edward (2008) indicates that the United States Department of transports best system of addressing the inherent security and safety problems was through licensure of the different transit related entities in the country. Under this consideration therefore, analysts argued that poor design of transit systems was a key potential risk to the people on transit. As a result, the department of transport established certification for the different transit systems in the nation. Though entrepreneurs initially complained that certification demands were increasing their operation costs, Edward (2008) explains that they later agreed that the safety and security outlook was crucial for the business, the public and the shareholders too.
Major security and safety threats such as accidents and poor systems designs as Katherine (2008) indicates, could easily be eliminate by employing specified procedures that emphasize on high standards for al the major transit related projects. Taking into consideration that transport services in the country are offered by the government in conjunction with the private entities, lack of clear guidelines could easily culminate to the latters profits orientation overriding the demand for safety security in the nation (Edward, 2008).
Notably, through the Federal Transit Administration office of Safety and Security sought, the certification process achieved the following considerations. To begin with, FTA (2010) indicates that it was able to identify key activities that could result to major safety outlook and therefore address them in advance. Besides, Vukan (1999) indicates that by emphasizing on certification, it is able to incorporate the safety and response measures well in advance and therefore create a highly proactive system of management in a company.
Application of the lifecycle procedures for certification
Planning and preliminary engineering
Lifecycle application by FTA in the nation is considered to be critical in that it provides an effective strategic mechanism of emphasizing safety at all stages of the key projects. At the initial stage, the project management is expected to provide the necessary planning and preliminary engineering basement to FTA before proceeding to the next stage (Katherine, 2008). At this level, it becomes easy to identify and articulate high standards at the basement level and therefore create a route path for durability and sustainability. As Katherine (2008) continues to say, most entrepreneurs often seek to cut down their costs by compromising on some standards during the early stages. However, this is effectively controlled at this stage.
Construction and integrated testing
Following the effective completion of the initial stage of the project preparation, FTA allows the construction to proceed under its own guidelines before conducting further testing to confirm for compliance by the engineers. At this stage, FTA office of Safety and Security comes in to bring further considerations for improvement on security and safety. As United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates, major vulnerability assessments, integrated testing further preparedness are conducted in the process. Following the emphasis o f these demands, Edward (2008) argues that it is the main factor that have seen improvement in safety and security in the transport sectors.
Revenue-operations and operations
Similar to other projects and entrepreneurial activities, projects intended for business are required to comply with the nations revenue policies. However, the revenue collected from such projects are critical in the safety and security administration as they facilitate programs under FTA including the certification itself to run smoothly (Edward, 2008). Latter constant analysis further facilitates FTA to maintain track of the different units status in the nation.
Transit safety and security systems in the department of Transport
According to the Federal Transit Administration, the department of the transport has over the years responded to different problems and issues in the transport sector by establishing respective programs and units for addressing them.
Use of transit security design to improve security
Transit security design initiative is considered to be the most comprehensive system of addressing security in the transport sector. Since the September 11 world trade center terrorist attack, the response to create preparedness has been very comprehensive and expanded to other transport systems. United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates that transit security design therefore established a highly responsive threat as well as vulnerability evaluation for all the 36 major transit agencies in the nation. In addition to that, it offers key support to their administration in creating the necessary security threat response systems. It is worth noting that the Federal Transit Administration either directly or indirectly creates a holistic partnership with the highly vulnerable units to counter the problem.
To further facilitate greater efficacy in addressing the problem, James (2005) indicates that the Federal Transit Administration established and facilitated assimilation of effective communication between the transit agencies and the department. Indeed, by creating an effective highly interoperable system, it becomes easy to monitor possible threats and counter them on time before wrecking havoc. Some of the employed communication systems include the wireless, wire-line, Operations Control Centers and Public Communication. Though these communication systems as James (2005) further indicates that it presents some of the best technological advancements of the time, Edward (2008) argues that the transit systems are still insecure.
Security Manpower Planning Model
According to Vukan (1999) security initiatives have over the years assisted the Department of Transport through its Federal Transit Agency in addressing inherent security issues to the people. In the year 2008, the Federal Transport Administration established the Security Manpower Planning Model for planning the resources in the department to address issues in the transport sector. This model as the Federal Transit agency indicates came as a reinforcement of the previous security and emergency management program of the year 2007 which sought to establish the best possible response method to use during emergencies. While emphasizing on the importance of resources in addressing security problems and effecting effective counter measures, security analysts indicate that this model facilitates greater precision for such considerations (United States Department of Transport, 2010b).
As the Federal Transit Administration further indicates, this model creates a room for the different stakeholders to be incorporated in creating the best response system to increase the overall safety. While augmenting this consideration, United States Department of Transport, (2010a) denotes that it forms one of the key mechanisms for implementing best practices in the department.
Emergency management in the transit systems
Analysts appear to concur with the Federal Transit Administration that for an effective safety system to be implemented, the involved stakeholders must be able to address emergency situations whenever they arise. To effect this consideration therefore, FTA facilitates and foresees preparedness for such cases in its staff and other transit related staff. Edward (2008) indicates that through the National Transit Institute, FTA has established key recommendations on how to cope with emergency cases. While emphasizing that indeed there is no single area that could be termed secure in the 21st century, Edward (2008) adds that most of the transit employees have undergone through the program.
As United States Department of Transport (2010b) indicates, FTA further coordinates with the Department of Homeland Security in providing specific emergency management programs that makes it easy for them to identify possible threats and address them without causing extensive repercussions. Though the department of the Homeland Security has tended to remain secretive in such mechanisms, Katherine (2008) explains that they at times incorporate use of highly sophisticated out-of-public equipments to identify and suppress security and safety threats. Owing to the rising threats targeting the public in transit, the need to expand emergency preparedness and management programs to the public has intensified with time. However, such application should be employed with caution to avoid malicious threats from using similar technology in advancing their threats.
Use of training and public awareness initiatives
Transit safety and security systems as United States Department of Transport (2010a) points out, requires an effective approach where stakeholders are considered to create the needed force towards enhancing maximum safety in the nation. By empowering people at the grassroots level, FTA indicates that the whole problem of security becomes nationally appreciated and therefore easily supported by many. To facilitate effective training in the transit agencies, James (2005) notes that the Federal Transit Administration collaborates with training institutions and other industry experts at various levels.
While intensifying training to the transport industry staff, James (2005) argues that FTA has increasingly resulted to incorporating the public in managing the security and safety orientation. In the year 2003 the Department of Transport established the Transit Watch and Transit Watch Toolkit that encouraged the public to increase participation in improving the nations security (James, 2005). The director of FTA by then, Jennifer Dorn emphasized that most the prior initiatives by FTA had failed due to lack of effective public involvement (United States Department of Transport, 2010b) ). Between the years 2003 and 2006, the transport agencies intensified their communication to the public on safety during transport a consideration that has been greatly credited in strengthening collaboration between FTA and the general public in intensification of security and safety.
It is from the above discussion that this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement, Effective policies and legislations that guarantee holistic transit safety and security are the cornerstone to the nations growth and development in that they strategically guide the operations, create an inherent room for improvement and therefore guarantee sustainability at all levels. It came out clearly from the discussion that policies and programs established under the policies have played a critical role in determining the current status of safety and security in the country. Though the security and safety systems have assisted the nation to move with speed in its growth and development trends in the last decade, it is critical that they are further intensified for higher development. There is particular need to involve the public more kin the security programs as the main stakeholder being protected by the legislation. Finally, funding for these initiatives should be increased to facilitate easier articulation at all levels.
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