Gamblers' shuttle gets terrorism funds

Colorado Springs-based Ramblin Express, which shuttles gamblers to mountain-town casinos, including Cripple Creek, has received $382,000 in anti-terrorism grants.

The most recent grant, for $184,415, was announced this month as part of the Department of Homeland Security's $844 million Infrastructure Protection Activities program.

Ramblin Express' grant is among the $11.2 million allocated to the Intercity Bus Security Grant Program, which is intended to assess risks and prevent attacks on that part of the nation's transportation system.
...
A Federal Emergency Management Agency official said in written responses to questions the Ramblin Express' money is for vehicle security and GPS systems. FEMA also said spending is monitored.
...
Ramblin Express was the only Colorado bus company to receive funding and the only one that applied, a federal homeland security official said. The official said applications are reviewed by a National Review Panel of experts from the Department of Transportation, Transportation Safety Administration and FEMA.

The company runs daily shuttles to Cripple Creek, Black Hawk and Central City and provides tours, charter service and airport shuttles in Colorado Springs and Denver, according to its Web site.

Whatever security measures the grants paid for, they weren't enough to prevent an armed robbery aboard a Ramblin Express bus in August 2006.

The intercity bus program, which has cost taxpayers $71 million since 2003, has made grants to firms in Nevada, Arizona, Kentucky, Iowa and other sparsely populated states, as well as large cities.