ATA floats anti-terrorist plan

Attempting to stay ahead of Federal regulators charged with securing U.S. transportation networks from terrorist attacks, the American Trucking Assns. has readied a “Neighborhood Watch” program for the nation's highways. The plan calls for training three-million truck drivers to recognize “any suspicious activities that might have terrorism or national security implications,” according to ATA.

ATA's Anti-terrorism Action Plan (ATAP) also envisions a trucking version of the green-yellow-red color-coded security alert system recently instituted by the federal Homeland Security agency.

Yellow and red alerts would act as signals for “increasing driver vigilance of interstate highways, bridges, tunnels and seaports,” as well as bring a step-up in driver check-in calls. According to ATA, driver calls would initially be handled by an industry-funded 800 telephone number until a “Highway Watch Operations Center” can be created.

The action plan was developed by the Trucking Security Working Group, which in addition to ATA includes representatives from the National Private Truck Council, the Truckload Carriers Assn. and other industry groups.