The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Transportation Security Administration create a system to share with mass transit operators the results of TSA’s tests on technology platforms designed to secure surface transportation operations.
GAO said Thursday it found that although TSA conducts an assessment of commercially available security products, the agency does not have a mechanism for routing and comprensive data sharing.
According to the office, TSA and the science and technology directorate at the Department of Homeland Security “are the primary federal entities responsible for researching, developing and testing technologies designed to address threats to these systems.”
DHS S&T has an ongoing mass transit security technology research-and-development effort, dubbed the Surface Transportation Explosive Threat Detection program.
GAO determined that the directorate did not fully adhere to DHS guidance that calls for the development of results-based milestones to monitor progress in programs such as STETD.
The office based its report on interviews with S&T, TSA and industry representatives, observation on technologies; documentation reviews and budget analysis over the past six fiscal years.
