US truckers to watch for possible terror threats
Date: 14-May-02
Country: USA
Author: John Crawley
"The goal is simple," said American Trucking Associations spokesman Mike Russell. "We're going to do our level best to see that a truck is not used as a weapon."
Along with other potential threats, state and federal authorities are concerned that trucks hauling fuel or hazardous materials could be used as a bomb.
Since Sept. 11, when commercial airliners were used as missiles to destroy the World Trade Center and damage the Pentagon, government and transportation industries have increased vigilance to guard against possible attacks.
Trucking companies have discouraged their drivers from discussing routes or cargo and encourage them to lock their rigs to minimize the risk of hijacking.
Now, the industry will build on a safety watch program in 12 states to include security measures nationwide. The program will feature a color-coded threat assessment system matched to the one used by the federal government to gauge a range of potential terror threats.
A toll-free hot line will be established to handle calls from truckers, and their information will be passed along to local law enforcement.
Activity on highways and around tunnels, bridges and seaport terminals will be watched more closely.
"We know what should be on the road and what should not be on the road," Russell said.
For instance, truckers will take closer notice of driver behavior and stopped vehicles.
Drivers would also be updated regularly on cargo thefts, arrests and truck hijackings.
The industry initiative follows a report by the Transportation Department last Friday that found federal and state controls to prevent the fraudulent acquisition of commercial truck licenses remain inadequate.
Investigators identified 16 states where commercial licenses had been or might have been obtained illegally since 1998, including Illinois, Florida, New York, Tennessee and Michigan. Some of those drivers had transferred their licenses and permits to other states.
After Sept. 11, the Justice Department released a list of 22 people who had been indicted for obtaining fraudulent commercial truck licenses. None of those charged, however, have been linked to any terrorist groups.
