The Highway Watch program, which is produced through a partnership of the American Trucking Assns. (ATA) and the Dept. of Homeland Security, has received a $4.8-million Congressional funding grant. The funds will be available in March 2006.
“The Highway Watch program plays an important role in the ongoing war on terrorism,” noted U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security. “The attacks in Madrid and London demonstrated that terrorist groups are moving beyond airlines into the surface transportation industry. Highway Watch provides America's truck drivers and other highway professionals with solid training that helps them identify and report dangerous or suspicious situations.”
With the additional funding, commercial truck and bus drivers, school bus drivers, highway maintenance crews, city municipal and transit workers, and others will continue to receive Highway Watch instruction, ATA said.
“Highway Watch has provided anti-terrorism training to over 150,000 transportation professionals nationwide and we’re still going strong,” said Bill Graves, ATA president & CEO. “The continued support we’ve received from Congressman Rogers and others will allow us to build on the tremendous progress we’ve made in the program’s first year.”
Transportation professionals interested in free Highway Watch training should call 866-821-3444 for more information.
