Research Project Description
Mineta Transportation Institute
Motor Carrier Security Systems Evaluation
Project Number: 2627
Research Project:
This project by MTI’s National Transportation Security Center, in response to the East Bay Area’s tanker crash in April 2007 that destroyed the I-580/880 interchange, will examine issues important to dealing with potential accidents or intentional sabotage involving hazardous materials that threaten the state’s economy.
Principal Investigator: Brian Michael Jenkins, MTI National Transportation Security Center Director
Field Research Team Leader: Bruce Butterworth
Institution:
Mineta Transportation Institute
Telephone Number:
(408) 924-7560
Email Address: mti@mti.sjsu.edu
Project Objective:
MTI’s National Transportation Security Center team will provide an assessment of next-generation vehicle telemetrics (available and in development) and the policy implementation needed for the prevention of accidental or intentional destruction of highway/bridge/tunnel infrastructure.
Project Abstract:
As the tanker crash that caused the Bay Area’s Interstate 580/880 collapse in April 2007 demonstrated, transportation infrastructure is vulnerable to accidents or intentional sabotage. The economic impact extends far beyond the cost of repair of the affected bridge/roadway/tunnel; a long-term disruption to traffic could cost billions of dollars in lost productivity.
While the April 2007 crash was an accident, it reinforced what is at stake if terrorists were to commandeer fuel tanker or hazmat trucks in a systematic attempt to disrupt the state’s economy.
This report will summarize ongoing federal and private research efforts into vehicle performance and security, driver performance and authentication, and vehicle immobilization procedures. Incorporated into the technical analysis will be standards and interoperability factors (e.g., identity management technologies, redundant systems, etc.) and liability issues (e.g., aftermarket device integration vs. original equipment manufacturer, damage to an immobilized vehicle, etc.). The study will identify current and projected best practices and synthesize the policies needed at the state and federal levels to provide optimum protection.
Milestones Dates:Milestone dates not listed
Task 1: Establish administrative systems
With Caltrans support and approval, establish the administrative systems necessary for the implementation of this urgent and sensitive study (contracting, liaison committee creation, first review meeting, etc.).
Task 2: Literature Review
Complete a thorough bibliographical review of research completed and in process, both formally and the less accessible information from national security, US DOT and DHS, private industry, and professional associations. This analysis will give a historical overview of terrorist use of tanker vehicles, indication of terrorist plots, and plans prepared by “red teams” simulating terrorist planning.
Task 3: Review of current policies and programs
Review current policies and programs with the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans, U.S. DOT Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA), the U.S. DHS Transportation Security Administration (DHS/TSA), the California and national trucking associations, and the manufacturers of the various applicable technologies.
Task 4: Analysis of proposed and existing federal or state laws to implement findings
Task 5: Identify and discuss procedural and technical options with Caltrans
Identify and discuss, with the Caltrans liaison team monthly, the technical and procedural options as those become apparent, dwelling more on the concepts that seem promising as interpreted by the Caltrans liaison group. Because this issue has potentially serious urgency, monthly written or graphic progress reports will be provided to a small group of “need to know” liaisons identified by Caltrans. The intent is to provide remedial information to Caltrans for potential implementation as soon as that information is confirmed to be reliable by the MTI research team rather than waiting until the final project report at the end of the year. During these monthly reports, secure information may be shared that will not be included in the final report, which will be public information.
Task 6: Develop case studies
Develop case studies detailing the policy and operations decisions and options for each likely scenario.
Task 7: Production of desensitized final report
Prior to the end of the calendar year, publish a desensitized, peer-reviewed final report that presents the conclusions of the study in a manner that does not jeopardize security and compromise the creation of remedial programs that relate to the motor carrier security issue.
Project completion: December 2007
Total Budget: $148,207
Student Involvement:
TBD
Technology Transfer Activities:
Upon publication, pdf and html versions will be available on the Mineta Transportation Institute web site. The project experience and data will be available for community meetings. Authors are encouraged to submit articles based on the research to relevant journals and to present the information to end-users at conferences.
Potential Benefits of the Project:
This research will synthesize the technical and policy research, not generally available to the public or currently provided in a coherent form, to the Caltrans liaison group in a manner that will be implementable by Caltrans and other state agencies tasked with protecting the state’s infrastructure.
TRB Keywords:
Accident analysis; Commercial vehicle operations; Disaster and emergency operations; Legal responsibility; Terrorism
Primary Subject:
Transportation safety/Terrorism
Goals:
This project will provide a desensitized report regarding transportation safety measures in the case of accident or intentional sabotage on transportation infrastructure.
Enabling research:
Case studies; Literature reviews; interviews and discussion
Modal Orientation:
Transportation/Transportation safety
