National Academies Press: OpenBook

Transit Security Preparedness (2020)

Chapter: Chapter 6 - Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Research

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Research." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Transit Security Preparedness. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25764.
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Page 75
Page 76
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 - Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Research." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Transit Security Preparedness. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25764.
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Page 76

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75 Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Research Conclusions An effective security preparedness approach means that a transit agency is prepared for the expected and the unexpected. Security planning, coupled with risk management that includes risk assessments conducted on a timely basis, helps an agency be prepared for the expected. Staying aware of trends and emerging risks can assist with the unexpected. Because threats and hazards to transit systems evolve, the security approaches need to evolve with the risks to reduce the number of incidents and to mitigate the consequences of any incidents that do occur. Engag- ing in a continuous improvement program can greatly enhance the overall preparedness of the agency. A comprehensive preparedness strategy—one that is multifaceted (i.e., it includes policies and procedures, people, and technology) and layered (i.e., its systematic security approaches are deployed jointly or in tandem)—provides the flexibility needed for both anticipated and unanticipated incidents. Transit agencies today recognize the need for a multifaceted and layered security approach and the need to meet new challenges and obstacles with updated technology, tools, and person- nel deployment strategies. Because of the realities of limited resources, agencies have to focus on utility and cost-effectiveness. Agencies consider the costs, time to implementation, training requirements, and ease of use as well as a variety of institutional, legal, and budgetary constraints. A security preparedness strategy is dependent on the unique operational parameters of the transit agency. Even though there are many similarities in operations and functions between larger and smaller transit agencies, one size does not fit all in the context of security. However, this study found that there are common themes in all effective security preparedness approaches: • Information sharing is essential. Sharing and collaboration with federal agencies and other transit agencies for intelligence provide critical information on current and potential future risks and what can be done to reduce those risks, through both lessons learned and examples of effective implementation practices. Threat and criminal trending can be accessed through these partnerships, allowing a data-based approach for security. • Collaboration and cooperation are also essential. Federal and state agencies can provide resources, audits, and access to security programs that support system security. Even though the TSA’s major focus is terrorism, the TSA programs for transit systems can help a transit agency achieve its own security objectives as well. • Partnering with local law enforcement needs to be part of every transit agency’s security program, even if not contracted for or part of formal agreements. All transit agencies operate within and travel through one or more jurisdictions, so it is important that positive work- ing relationships are established with the law enforcement jurisdictions in which an agency C H A P T E R 6

76 Transit Security Preparedness operates. Collaboration and regular meetings establish and reinforce positive relationships around a common goal. • Engagement of employees and of passengers and the public is important. The security of a transit system has an effect on employees, both directly through potential physical and psychological injury and indirectly through morale and job stress. Employees are best posi- tioned to have a major effect on security, because they are the “eyes and ears” of the agency. Planning and implementing security preparedness strategies cannot be done in isolation from other agency issues and operations, and employees know best what the potential issues are and what issues must be taken into account. The perceived security of a transit agency affects the ridership levels and affects the passengers on the system. Transit riders’ experiences with the transit system, its employees, and other riders affect their likelihood of reporting suspi- cious activity. If riders believe an agency and its employees are concerned about them and are trying to meet their needs, they will be more willing to support and cooperate with security preparedness initiatives. Future Research Research would assist with supporting transit agency approaches to new or evolving issues. TCRP research projects are already planned to address fare evasion and trespassing. Research into effective approaches to address quality of life issues would be beneficial for transit agen- cies. Many agencies use a code of conduct as a means to deal with passenger behavior and other quality of life issues. TCRP Legal Research Digest J-5: Codes of Conduct on Transit Vehicles and Property: Legal Issues (Frazier and Bye, forthcoming) explores the legal issues of agency codes of conduct, but research into successful agency approaches for specific issues and effective enforce- ment practices would be valuable. Particularly valuable would be research on the approaches and processes agencies have in place to implement and enforce banning and exclusions, the bar- ring or suspending of service to individuals for code of conduct or other violations. There is a continuing need for transit cybersecurity research. The modes and methods used to gain access to cyber systems evolve as new vulnerabilities are identified. The types of cyber events to be concerned about are changing as the criminal and political players in the world change. Effective cybersecurity practices are essential for a safe and secure transit agency. Research into new technology would also be valuable. Many transit agencies are using, or are planning to use, smartphone apps. Although many agencies are purchasing apps from the same vendors or apps that have similar capabilities, there are differences in what the apps can do and the approaches that are taken by an agency in the use of an app. Research into the differ- ent approaches that transit agencies are taking with smartphone apps would support the transit community in identifying what the essential features of the apps are and how to effectively implement apps to achieve the goals of the transit agency.

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Sixty percent of the transit-industry practitioners surveyed rate their transit agency’s efforts to address their major security challenges as somewhat or very successful. However, only 25 percent say they have implemented any security-risk-reduction program that they consider to be exceptional or exemplary.

The TRB Transit Cooperative Research Program's TCRP Synthesis 146: Transit Security Preparedness identifies current practices transit systems can use to enhance their security measures and to identify opportunities to apply security technology applications used in other industries to the transit environment.

One size does not fit all in the context of transit security. However, there are common themes in all effective security preparedness approaches.

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