flyerCO

TSA has oversight since it's a transportation mode. However they only are there to oversee, nothing else. The local PD and in some states the National Guard are the ones patrolling the stations.

chollie

They're doing more than 'overseeing' when their hands are between my legs and inside my pants.

Unlike TSA, I don't think the local PD or the National Guard are authorized to grope me as a pre-condition for boarding a train or a bus.

Not yet, anyway.

flyerCO

TSA doesn't currently do screening at train stations. Thus I don't know whom is groping you.

chollie

A few years ago, TSA got a bit of pushback when it set up screening at an Amtrak station without warning. They even forced arriving passengers to route through the 'sterile' area and a screening instead of going straight from the train to the parking lot.

What that demonstrated is that TSA's authority to grope people extends beyond the airport. The head of Amtrak was a bit hot at the time, mostly about forcing the arriving passengers to undergo a completely unnecessary screening, but no one ever questioned their authority to do the searches. No WTMDS, but they were using wands and hands.

If I approach a train station and I see National Guard or local LEs, I am confident that they're not going to be frisking me without cause.

If I approach a train station and see TSA, I do believe that they have the authority to grope and I believe they will use it. As they already have.

CDTraveler

This week TSA staff (recognized by emblems on uniform) were doing ticket checks at 30th Street Amtrak in Philadelphia. Did not witness them doing more than that.

No discernable logo on the dog handler's uniform, so still can't say to which entity he belongs.

FliesWay2Much

Harassment-free travel today on AMTRAK from Union Station to Albany via Penn Station. Not a clerk in sight and I don't recall even seeing a Port Authority cop at Penn Station.

Points Scrounger

I once encountered them getting onto the Hyannis- Nantucket ferry. Some sort of one-day (random) operation which thankfully turned out perfunctory rather than metal detectors, massive bag searches, etc.

gingersnaps

Does ATSA - enabling statue that created TSA - provide authority for TSA to conduct Administrative searches at any place/space other than an Airport?

saizai

49 USC 114 (note: "Under Secretary" means the TSA Administrator)

(d)Functions.—The Under Secretary shall be responsible for security in all modes of transportation, including—
(1) carrying out chapter 449, relating to civil aviation security, and related research and development activities; and
(2) security responsibilities over other modes of transportation that are exercised by the Department of Transportation.


<redacted>


49 USC 44901

(a)In General.—
The Under Secretary of Transportation for Security shall provide for the screening of all passengers and property, including United States mail, cargo, carry-on and checked baggage, and other articles, that will be carried aboard a passenger aircraft operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier in air transportation or intrastate air transportation. In the case of flights and flight segments originating in the United States, the screening shall take place before boarding and shall be carried out by a Federal Government employee (as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code), except as otherwise provided in section 44919 or 44920 and except for identifying passengers and baggage for screening under the CAPPS and known shipper programs and conducting positive bag-match programs.

(b)Supervision of Screening.—

<redacted>

(c)Checked Baggage.—

<redacted>

FliesWay2Much

The title speaks for itself. I can't comment on the behavior of conformist suburbanites from Germantown inward. But, if the TSA ever dares to screen MARC passengers anywhere west, I can pretty much guarantee that there will be casualties.

petaluma1

http://www.zdnet.com/article/end-to-...body-scanners/

Boggie Dog

So which statement is true? I certainly do not believe that TSA's current MMW Whole Body Scanners can screen 800 people per hour.

petaluma1

In theory, MMW can probably scan about 600 people per hour, but that's in theory only. It seems using this new thingamajig people will just walk through and not have to "assume the position" so maybe 800 people per hour is reasonable. Reasonable, that is, until the TSA gets its grubby hands on this technology and stops everyone who has anything in their pockets.

Boggie Dog

TSA's current batch of Whole Body Scanners take about 10 seconds a person for each scan. That includes loading and unloadiing and that works out to less than 400 scans per hour. This new company claims to be on par with current TSA scanners and the ability to scan 800 people per hour. On par or 800, both cannot be true.

FliesWay2Much

I did some checking over the weekend about the passenger capacity of a single AMTRAK Northeast Regional train. (I don't have the time to post all the links from AMTRAK and other websites.) I found that the average train holds in excess of 700 people. At Union Station in DC, there is about one train per hour during the day all leaving through the same boarding location. If you believe the through-put of these devices and completely exclude the citizens who will be pulled out of line and harassed, they will never do this without a major disruption to the very fragile AMTRAK system. If they go through with this at Union Station, even in a "trial mode," I will simply catch the train at the New Carrollton Metro station.

We always figure the TSA stood a good chnace of killing commercial aviation. But, it looks like they will kill passenger rail instead.