Security Must Be a Priority

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In New York City and Washington, DC, transit police patrols were increased. In Toronto, transit offi cials issued “vigilance alerts” to operators and other transit system employees. In New Jersey, bomb-sniffing dogs were deployed in transit stations. In Chicago, transit passengers were asked to “be aware of their surroundings.”

The U.S. government responded (more than six hours after the attack) by temporarily raising the terror threat level to orange, or “high,” for rail systems in the U.S.

While I applaud the quick reactions of many transit systems in the wake of increased threats, I question why more has not been done, by transit systems and governments in both countries, to better equip our transit systems and their employees to prepare for, deter and respond to a terrorist attack.

Long before 9/11, and continuously since, the ATU has worked to raise awareness of transit security issues with transit and government officials – lobbying for funding for security measures, promoting transit security training programs, and holding transit security conferences in both the U.S. and Canada. Just last year, I met with the Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security in the U.S. to discuss these issues.

Nearly four years have passed since the horrific events of 9/11, and more than a year has gone by since we witnessed the deadly bombings on commuter trains in Madrid. Countless reports and studies released over the past few years have shown that almost half of all terrorist attacks worldwide have targeted public transportation. And yet, our governments have not made transit security a priority and many transit systems have yet to provide their employees with the security training they desperately need to appropriately respond in an emergency situation.

The ATU is committed to continuing our work, at the bargaining table and in the halls of government, to see that our members receive the necessary training and that our governments provide the necessary funding and guidance to help transit systems address their security needs.

As our fights continue on these issues, we will keep you posted, through this publication and the ATU website.