6 USC 1181 - Over-the-road bus security assessments and plans

Collapse to view only § 1181. Over-the-road bus security assessments and plans

§ 1181. Over-the-road bus security assessments and plans
§ 1182. Over-the-road bus security assistance
§ 1183. Over-the-road bus exercises
§ 1184. Over-the-road bus security training program
§ 1185. Over-the-road bus security research and development
§ 1186. Memorandum of Understanding annex

§ 1181. Over-the-road bus security assessments and plans

(a) In generalNot later than 18 months after August 3, 2007, the Secretary shall issue regulations that—

(1) require each over-the-road bus operator assigned to a high-risk tier under this section—

(A) to conduct a vulnerability assessment in accordance with subsections (c) and (d); and

(B) to prepare, submit to the Secretary for approval, and implement a security plan in accordance with subsection (e); and

(2) establish standards and guidelines for developing and implementing the vulnerability assessments and security plans for carriers assigned to high-risk tiers consistent with this section.

(b) Non high-risk programsThe Secretary may establish a security program for over-the-road bus operators not assigned to a high-risk tier, including—

(1) guidance for such operators in conducting vulnerability assessments and preparing and implementing security plans, as determined appropriate by the Secretary; and

(2) a process to review and approve such assessments and plans, as appropriate.

(d) Vulnerability assessments

(1) RequirementsThe Secretary shall provide technical assistance and guidance to over-the-road bus operators in conducting vulnerability assessments under this section and shall require that each vulnerability assessment of an operator assigned to a high-risk tier under this section includes, as appropriate—

(A) identification and evaluation of critical assets and infrastructure, including platforms, stations, terminals, and information systems;

(B) identification of the vulnerabilities to those assets and infrastructure; and

(i) physical security;

(ii) passenger and cargo security;

(iii) the security of programmable electronic devices, computers, or other automated systems which are used in providing over-the-road bus transportation;

(iv) alarms, cameras, and other protection systems;

(v) communications systems and utilities needed for over-the-road bus security purposes, including dispatching systems;

(vi) emergency response planning;

(vii) employee training; and

(viii) such other matters as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(2) Threat information

(e) Security plans

(1) RequirementsThe Secretary shall provide technical assistance and guidance to over-the-road bus operators in preparing and implementing security plans under this section and shall require that each security plan of an over-the-road bus operator assigned to a high-risk tier under this section includes, as appropriate—

(A) the identification of a security coordinator having authority—

(i) to implement security actions under the plan;

(ii) to coordinate security improvements; and

(iii) to receive communications from appropriate Federal officials regarding over-the-road bus security;

(B) a list of needed capital and operational improvements;

(C) procedures to be implemented or used by the over-the-road bus operator in response to a terrorist attack, including evacuation and passenger communication plans that include individuals with disabilities, as appropriate;

(D) the identification of steps taken with State and local law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, and Federal officials to coordinate security measures and plans for response to a terrorist attack;

(E) a strategy and timeline for conducting training under section 1184 of this title;

(F) enhanced security measures to be taken by the over-the-road bus operator when the Secretary declares a period of heightened security risk;

(G) plans for providing redundant and backup systems required to ensure the continued operation of critical elements of the over-the-road bus operator’s system in the event of a terrorist attack or other incident; and

(H) such other actions or procedures as the Secretary determines are appropriate to address the security of over-the-road bus operators.

(2) Security coordinator requirements

(f) Deadline for review processNot later than 6 months after receiving the assessments and plans required under this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) review each vulnerability assessment and security plan submitted to the Secretary in accordance with subsection (c);

(2) require amendments to any security plan that does not meet the requirements of this section; and

(3) approve any vulnerability assessment or security plan that meets the requirements of this section.

(g) Interim security measures

(h) Tier assignmentThe Secretary shall assign each over-the-road bus operator to a risk-based tier established by the Secretary:

(1) Provision of information

(2) Notification

(3) High-risk tiers

(4) Reassignment

(i) Existing procedures, protocols, and standards

(1) Determination

(2) Election

(3) Partial approval

(4) Notification

(5) ReviewNothing in this subsection shall relieve the Secretary of the obligation—

(A) to review the vulnerability assessment and security plan submitted by an over-the-road bus operator under this section; and

(B) to approve or disapprove each submission on an individual basis.

(j) Periodic evaluation by over-the-road bus provider required

(1) Submission of evaluation

(2) Review of evaluation

(k) Shared facilities

(l) Nondisclosure of information

(1) Submission of information to Congress

(2) Disclosure of independently furnished information

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1531, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 454.)

§ 1182. Over-the-road bus security assistance

(a) In general

(b) Uses of funds

A recipient of a grant received under subsection (a) shall use the grant funds for one or more of the following:

(1) Constructing and modifying terminals, garages, and facilities, including terminals and other over-the-road bus facilities owned by State or local governments, to increase their security.

(2) Modifying over-the-road buses to increase their security.

(3) Protecting or isolating the driver of an over-the-road bus.

(4) Acquiring, upgrading, installing, or operating equipment, software, or accessorial services for collection, storage, or exchange of passenger and driver information through ticketing systems or other means and for information links with government agencies, for security purposes.

(5) Installing cameras and video surveillance equipment on over-the-road buses and at terminals, garages, and over-the-road bus facilities.

(6) Establishing and improving an emergency communications system linking drivers and over-the-road buses to the recipient’s operations center or linking the operations center to law enforcement and emergency personnel.

(7) Implementing and operating passenger screening programs for weapons and explosives.

(8) Public awareness campaigns for enhanced over-the-road bus security.

(9) Operating and capital costs associated with over-the-road bus security awareness, preparedness, and response training, including training under section 1184 of this title and training developed by institutions of higher education and by nonprofit employee labor organizations, for over-the-road bus employees, including frontline employees.

(10) Chemical, biological, radiological, or explosive detection, including canine patrols for such detection.

(11) Overtime reimbursement, including reimbursement of State, local, and tribal governments for costs, for enhanced security personnel assigned to duties related to over-the-road bus security during periods of high or severe threat levels, National Special Security Events, or other periods of heightened security as determined by the Secretary.

(12) Live or simulated exercises, including those described in section 1183 of this title.

(13) Operational costs to hire, train, and employ police and security officers, including canine units, assigned to full-time security or counterterrorism duties related to over-the-road bus transportation, including reimbursement of State, local, and tribal government costs for such personnel.

(14) Development of assessments or security plans under section 1181 of this title.

(15) Such other improvements as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(d) Department of Homeland Security responsibilities

In carrying out the responsibilities under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) determine the requirements for recipients of grants under this section, including application requirements;

(2) select grant recipients;

(3) award the funds authorized by this section based on risk, as identified by the plans required under section 1181 of this title or assessment or plan described in subsection (f)(2); and

(4) pursuant to subsection (c), establish priorities for the use of funds for grant recipients.

(e) Distribution of grants

(f) Eligibility

(1) A private operator providing transportation by an over-the-road bus is eligible for a grant under this section if the operator has completed a vulnerability assessment and developed a security plan that the Secretary has approved under section 1181 of this title. Grant funds may only be used for permissible uses under subsection (b) to further an over-the-road bus security plan.

(2) Notwithstanding the requirements for eligibility and uses in paragraph (1), prior to the earlier of 1 year after the date of issuance of final regulations requiring vulnerability assessments and security plans under section 1181 of this title or 3 years after August 3, 2007, the Secretary may award grants under this section for over-the-road bus security improvements listed under subsection (b) based upon over-the-road bus vulnerability assessments and security plans that the Secretary deems are sufficient for the purposes of this section but have not been approved by the Secretary in accordance with section 1181 of this title.

(g) Subject to certain terms and conditions

(h) Limitation on uses of funds

(i) Annual reports

(j) Consultation

(k) Authorization

(1) In general

From the amounts appropriated pursuant to section 114(w) 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of title 49, there shall be made available to the Secretary to make grants under this section—

(A) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(D) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.

(2) Period of availability

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1532, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 457.)

§ 1183. Over-the-road bus exercises

(a) In general

(b) Covered entitiesEntities to be assessed under the program shall include—

(1) Federal, State, and local agencies and tribal governments;

(2) over-the-road bus operators and over-the-road bus terminal owners and operators;

(3) governmental and nongovernmental emergency response providers and law enforcement agencies; and

(4) any other organization or entity that the Secretary determines appropriate.

(1) consolidates existing security exercises for over-the-road bus operators and terminals administered by the Department and the Department of Transportation, as jointly determined by the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation, unless the Secretary waives this consolidation requirement, as appropriate;

(2) consists of exercises that are—

(A) scaled and tailored to the needs of the over-the-road bus operators and terminals, including addressing the needs of the elderly and individuals with disabilities;

(B) live, in the case of the most at-risk facilities to a terrorist attack;

(D) as realistic as practicable and based on current risk assessments, including credible threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences;

(E) inclusive, as appropriate, of over-the-road bus frontline employees; and

(F) consistent with the National Incident Management System, the National Response Plan, the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, the National Preparedness Guidance, the National Preparedness Goal, and other such national initiatives;

(3) provides that exercises described in paragraph (2) will be—

(A) evaluated by the Secretary against clear and consistent performance measures;

(B) assessed by the Secretary to identify best practices, which shall be shared, as appropriate, with operators providing over-the-road bus transportation, nonprofit employee organizations that represent over-the-road bus employees, Federal, State, local, and tribal officials, governmental and nongovernmental emergency response providers, and law enforcement personnel; and

(C) used to develop recommendations, as appropriate, provided to over-the-road bus operators and terminal owners and operators on remedial action to be taken in response to lessons learned;

(4) allows for proper advanced notification of communities and local governments in which exercises are held, as appropriate; and

(5) assists State, local, and tribal governments and over-the-road bus operators and terminal owners and operators in designing, implementing, and evaluating additional exercises that conform to the requirements of paragraph (2).

(d) National Exercise Program

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1533, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 460.)

§ 1184. Over-the-road bus security training program

(a) In general

(b) Consultation

The Secretary shall develop regulations under subsection (a) in consultation with—

(1) appropriate law enforcement, fire service, emergency response, security, and terrorism experts;

(2) operators providing over-the-road bus transportation; and

(3) nonprofit employee labor organizations representing over-the-road bus employees and emergency response personnel.

The regulations developed under subsection (a) shall require security training programs, to include, at a minimum, elements to address the following, as applicable:

(1) Determination of the seriousness of any occurrence or threat.

(2) Driver and passenger communication and coordination.

(3) Appropriate responses to defend or protect oneself.

(4) Use of personal and other protective equipment.

(5) Evacuation procedures for passengers and over-the-road bus employees, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly.

(6) Psychology, behavior, and methods of terrorists, including observation and analysis.

(7) Training related to psychological responses to terrorist incidents, including the ability to cope with hijacker behavior and passenger responses.

(8) Live situational training exercises regarding various threat conditions, including tunnel evacuation procedures.

(9) Recognition and reporting of dangerous substances, suspicious packages, and situations.

(10) Understanding security incident procedures, including procedures for communicating with emergency response providers and for on-scene interaction with such emergency response providers.

(11) Operation and maintenance of security equipment and systems.

(12) Other security training activities that the Secretary considers appropriate.

(d) Required programs

(1) Development and submission to Secretary

(2) Approval

(3) Training

(4) Updates of regulations and program revisions

(e) National Training Program

(f) Reporting requirements

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1534, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 461.)

§ 1185. Over-the-road bus security research and development

(a) Establishment of research and development program

(b) Eligible projectsThe research and development program may include projects—

(1) to reduce the vulnerability of over-the-road buses, stations, terminals, and equipment to explosives and hazardous chemical, biological, and radioactive substances, including the development of technology to screen passengers in large numbers with minimal interference and disruption;

(2) to test new emergency response and recovery techniques and technologies, including those used at international borders;

(3) to develop improved technologies, including those for—

(A) emergency response training, including training in a tunnel environment, if appropriate; and

(B) security and redundancy for critical communications, electrical power, computer, and over-the-road bus control systems; and

(4) to address other vulnerabilities and risks identified by the Secretary.

(1) shall ensure that the research and development program is consistent with the other transportation security research and development programs required by this Act;

(2) shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate the research and development activities of the Department with other ongoing research and development security-related initiatives, including research being conducted by—

(A) the Department of Transportation, including University Transportation Centers and other institutes, centers, and simulators funded by the Department of Transportation;

(B) the National Academy of Sciences;

(D) other Federal departments and agencies; and

(E) other Federal and private research laboratories, research entities, and institutions of higher education, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities;

(3) shall carry out any research and development project authorized by this section through a reimbursable agreement with an appropriate Federal agency, if the agency—

(A) is currently sponsoring a research and development project in a similar area; or

(B) has a unique facility or capability that would be useful in carrying out the project;

(4) may award grants and enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, other transactions, or reimbursable agreements to the entities described in paragraph (2) and eligible recipients under section 1182 of this title; and

(5) shall make reasonable efforts to enter into memoranda of understanding, contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions with private operators providing over-the-road bus transportation willing to contribute assets, physical space, and other resources.

(d) Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues

(1) Consultation

(2) Privacy impact assessments

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(1) In generalFrom the amounts appropriated pursuant to section 114(w) 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of title 49, there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out this section—

(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(D) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.

(2) Period of availability

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1535, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 462.)

§ 1186. Memorandum of Understanding annex

Not later than 1 year after August 3, 2007, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary shall execute and develop an annex to the Memorandum of Understanding between the two departments signed on September 28, 2004, governing the specific roles, delineations of responsibilities, resources, and commitments of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security, respectively, in addressing motor carrier transportation security matters, including over-the-road bus security matters, and shall cover the processes the Departments will follow to promote communications, efficiency, and nonduplication of effort.

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1541, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 469.)