APTA seeks public transportation security funding

On Wednesday the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) asked Congress to appropriate $1.1 billion for public transportation security funding in the fiscal year 2011 budget to help safeguard transit agencies from terrorist attacks.

A recent survey of public transit systems identifies $6.4 billion in security needs, APTA president William Millar told House Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security members during a recent hearing. Millar urged Congress to provide at least $1.1 billion in funding for FY2011, which is the level authorized under the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

Federal funding provided in FY2010 for public transportation security totaled $253 million.

“The terrorist attacks on transit systems in London and Madrid, and the recent suicide bomb attacks in the Moscow subway are graphic reminders of the threats public transportation riders face,” said Millar. “Public transportation systems have taken many steps to improve security but almost nine years since 9/11, we still need significant investment in order to protect our citizens, who take 35 million trips each weekday on the nation’s public transit systems.”

Of the $3.4 billion authorized in the 9/11 Act, only $1.25 billion has been appropriated since the legislation was enacted in 2007, Millar said.

The $6.4 billion in security-related needs identified in the survey includes $4.4 billion for capital investments and $2 billion for personnel and other operational expenses over the next five years. Projects would include closed-circuit television systems, chemical detection equipment, tunnel communication equipment, control center redundancy and equipment, and intrusion and perimeter monitoring and protection.