The Transportation Security Forum
focuses on how to
secure the hubs and
increase efficiencies
of global and regional
transportation networks:
airport, rail stations,
seaports and subway
stations.
Innovations in transportation networks
As demand grows for greater security, so the development of new
technology surrounding and supporting our transport infrastructures
is evolving as never before. Contactless ticketing and NFC, fast
and effective payment systems, surveillance installations, as well
as screening, tracking and tracing passengers and their goods all
contribute to a safer and more efficient environment.
In this era of global mobility, governments and transportation authorities
need to embrace the innovations which emerge, in order to facilitate
travel and trade, improve the passenger experience and create sound,
stable and secure infrastructures for the industry, the global traveling
public.
Hub Security
The applications of auto ID in the
transportation environment often
have a dual function: to improve hub
security by tightening control over who
has access to restricted areas and
vehicles, and to automate and facilitate
the flow of passengers and baggage
through the terminals. Examples
include the deployment of electronic
travel documents, biometric employee
credentials, registered traveler programs
and RFID-based baggage tracking.
Smart Ticketing
Transport operators face the same
problem all over the world: how can they
ensure that the thousands of people moving in, out and through the public
transportation system do so in a quick, secure and reliable way? The move
towards smart ticketing is a growing trend with contactless cards and paper
tickets benefiting operators in terms of reduced running costs, and travelers
in terms of greater convenience and speed, fewer queues and shorter check-in
times.
Value Added Services
As the photo ID is retired and replaced by the
contactless card, the employee badge and the travel card transforms
from simple access control credential to integrated business tool.
Multiapplication contactless smart cards make it possible for transportation
organizations to utilize badges for a broad range of extra value-added
services, including logical access control, parking solutions, payments,
wireless network access and mobile identity verification.
Transportation Security
Hot Topics:
Screening
Identifying passengers and workers while detecting threatening items they may be carrying, in a few seconds and with a high degree of accuracy, is a very difficult task performed millions of times a day to ensure air, rail and maritime security. An ideal screening system would give the security operators enough information in an appropriate format to allow for the speedy and accurate raising of alarms. The acceptance of the technologies employed, both by operators and the people affected by their use, is just as important as their performance and effectiveness.
Inspection
Spending billions of dollars and deploying thousands of people to fortify every seaport and airport is an extremely inefficient and expensive way to stop terrorists from using cargo containers for their purposes, especially as they would probably use other means. Securing cargo requires a more comprehensive and effective approach than just putting up fences and gates. To safeguard the flow of goods, every government needs to improve the way cargo information is shared and used, in particular enhancing international cooperation.
Detection
Methods for detecting and positively identifying
explosives and a wide range of dangerous
substances that might be employed by terrorist
groups should be implemented not only in
airports, but also in train stations and
other key places. Detecting trace quantities
of critical substances has become a difficult
task due to their deliberate concealment
and the small amount of materials necessary
to produce mass damage. To safeguard the
transportation nodes, a comprehensive range
of fixed and mobile detection instruments
should be deployed.
Automation
Security operators need to be able to analyze
risks and track criminals and terrorists
in the event of an act of terrorism. The
core problem in achieving this visibility
continues to be a lack of timely information
sharing among the various players in the
transportation chain. Today, several activities
rely on the speed and precision of human
operators. Closing the real gaps in transportation
security means focusing on sensible, uniform
security and transparency enhancing processes
that will boost the level of automation
of all aspects of the transportation ecosystem
