>>To the TSA folks: has anyone considered a bus on the tarmac to take passengers from the plane to baggage claim (which is outside the airport)? I realize the trip would take 20+ minutes, but compared to the 2 hours in some horror stories, it's a bargain.<<

This is actually the airport's option. We can request but it is ultimately up to the airport. It may take a while to get the bus even with fair warning of an arriving flight. Once the flight lands the carrier and airport will want these people off the plane thus the escort to the checkpoint.