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ATA loses federal Highway Watch grant
By Jill Dunn
The American Trucking Associations’ Highway Watch program did not receive a Department of Homeland Security grant for the first time since the department began funding the program in 2004.
As a result of Congressional direction in the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, the DHS trucking security $15.5 million grant was awarded as a competitive grant for the first time this year.
The contract went to HMS Company, headquartered in Washington D.C. It provides management, technical, security, training and administrative services to government, non-profit and private sector clients.
Applicants had to demonstrate that they were able to support these five items over three years. The third requirement was added this year.
1. Identification and recruitment of highway professionals to participate in and support anti-terrorism and security awareness programs.
2. Risk and hazard planning.
3. Anti-terrorism and security awareness training.
4. Communications, including maintaining a 24/7 call center.
5. Analysis and distribution of information related to highway-transportation security.
ATA began Highway Watch in 1998 as a safety and security initiative. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Highway Watch attained a new prominence and as of October, had received $57.3 million in Trucking Security Grant Program funds since fiscal 2004. The DHS has provided nearly $78 million in security grants since 2003.
The association said it was disappointed it would no longer partner with DHS and believed it had been successful as stewarding the program.
“We have expanded the number of individuals trained under the program from 10,000 to over 830,000 and fielded over 10,000 incident calls,” the ATA said in a prepared statement. “The program has been a valuable source of reporting and intelligence regarding incidents and potential threats to the nation’s highway and motor carrier sector.”
The grant was part of more than $844 million Infrastructure Protection Activities grants for DHS. Funding awards are meant to strengthen security at ports, transit, trucking and intercity bus systems. Money provided will be used to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.
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