DOT’s MINETA DISCUSSES CARGO SECURITY PROGRESS

DOTÆS MINETA DISCUSSES CARGO SECURITY PROGRESS    U.S. government agencies, through Bush administration leadership, are enforcing and developing cargo security enhancements throughout all modes, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told industry executives in Washington Wednesday.
   Mineta, addressing a conference at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the Transportation Security Administration, which initially spent most of its resources addressing passenger aviation security, has begun assessments and has expanded security oversight into the cargo transport modes.
   The TSA, established last November by President Bush, is charged with overseeing security in all transport modes. The nation’s transport logistics system, due to its expanse in marine, air and land, presents a challenge, Mineta said.
   “We must address the challenge of blending these separate constituencies into an efficient, national, intermodal transportation system,” Mineta said. “Each mode has its own culture and consistency.”
   But government agencies are making headway, he said. This week, a multi-agency operation including the TSA, Department of Justice and federal and state agencies, resulted in the arrests of individuals who tried to cheat on background checks to work near airplanes or in cargo areas. The operation brought falsification indictments to more than 140 employees at Washington Reagan National Airport, Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
   Mineta said such cooperation would have to spread to foreign agencies. He noted that this summer, rules under the North American Free Trade Agreement will require Mexican trucks to operate safely in the United States.
   The United States and Canada still have strong trucking commerce among themselves, and truck traffic along the U.S./Canadian border is almost back to levels seen before Sept. 11, he said.