TSA gearing up for ‘technology refresh’ – Politico
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— After the busy holiday season, TSA is gearing up for a “technology refresh” as it aims to install new CT scanners and more in airports in 2020.
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— New documents released by the NTSB in regard to the deadly February Atlas Air crash raise issues with pilot training at the cargo airline.
— Congress passed a fiscal 2020 spending bill, which would turn several interesting pieces of transportation policy into law.
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TSA GEARS UP FOR ‘TECHNOLOGY REFRESH’: The agency is readying for another hectic travel season, with 42 million passengers expected to fly between Dec. 19 and Jan 5. And once the holiday madness is over, TSA will ramp up its rollout of a “tech refresh,” with three new technologies in the works for the near future. The flagship is the agency’s new computed tomography scanners, which it showed off to reporters at a testing center at Reagan National Airport on Thursday.
Eleven of the machines are already in place at two airports, in Las Vegas and Detroit, and TSA is planning to install 300 over the next few years. From an operational standpoint, the new machines will work basically the same as the existing scanners, but they offer screening officers a 3D image instead of 2D, and more options for reviewing luggage, including the ability to slice and rotate the images on their screens. “The technology allows us to see a lot more that’s in a carry-on bag,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. “Its ability to detect is significantly better than the equipment we have out there.”
The agency is also working on new credential authentication technology, which would mean TSA officers would only need to check travelers’ licenses, not their boarding pass. There’s a trial underway in Boston (which your MT host was lucky enough to experience last month and can attest to its convenience). Further down the line, TSA is also testing a new passenger body screening device, consisting of two panels that travelers would walk in between instead of coming through a machine. “A technology refresh is coming to the screening checkpoint. So passengers should, first and foremost, feel much more secure going through the screening. And secondly, it should be a much better experience,” Pekoske said.
FACIAL RECOGNITION STUDY OUTRAGES CRITICS: A long-awaited federal study released Thursday found that facial recognition software more frequently misidentified people of color than white people, Pro Technology’s Cristiano Lima reported. The analysis by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found “higher rates of false positives for Asian and African American faces relative to images of Caucasians” among a majority of the systems in the industry. The study has already added fuel to the debate over facial recognition being used in the private and public sectors. “The Administration must reassess its plans for facial recognition technology in light of these shocking results,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
NTSB DOCS DESCRIBE PILOT ISSUES AT ATLAS: New documents released on Thursday as part of the agency’s investigation into the Atlas Air cargo jet crash, which killed three in February, have raised issues with the company’s training and hiring. Current and former employees told NTSB that the quality of pilots joining Atlas has dropped in recent years, due to growth of the company and a national pilot shortage. Both of the pilots in the cockpit of the doomed jet had issues flagged with their training, including one who had been on a disastrous test flight a year and a half earlier, and had failed to complete his training at two airlines previously. Your MT host has more details for Pros.
The safety investigative agency is about to get two new board members to help with the Atlas crash and the many other accidents it investigates. Michael Graham and Thomas Chapman were confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, in one of the last pieces of action before Congress left for a much-needed winter break.
THE DEED IS DONE: Congress passed a fiscal 2020 spending bill on Thursday, which the president plans to sign. It will avert a government shutdown, fund agencies including DOT, and write into law a number of interesting pieces of policy. If you need a refresher, here’s our breakdown of some of the riders that made it into the final bill, including a prohibition on Amtrak’s planned cuts to its police force, a provision seeking to advance the Gateway project, and a subtle dig at Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Also passed in the House: USMCA, the new North American trade pact, which Congress and the White House hammered out. It still has to be considered by the Senate, where leaders have said they’re waiting until after the impeachment trial in January. But trucking and rail industry groups are excited the agreement is on the move.
FRA PROPOSES TRACK, BRAKE RULE CHANGES: The Federal Railroad Administration proposed two new rules on Thursday, dealing with railroad track and brake safety. The highest-profile change is that the agency would allow continuous testing for rail inspections, which involves a data collection vehicle moving down the track without stopping to verify its findings. The rules would also remove an exception for inspecting high-density commuter lines, adopt change recommended by the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, and allow railroads to longer without brake testing. Pros can read more here.
DOWN TO THE ROUTES: DOT is continuing its outreach as it builds out its ROUTES initiative, an effort to boost infrastructure in rural communities. The latest development is a request for information that asks for public feedback on “concerns with rural infrastructure safety, condition, and usage, as well as stakeholders’ experiences using DOT discretionary grant and finance programs.”
FOR YOUR 2020 CALENDAR: TransportationCamp is coming soon. The “unconference,” which was taken over by Transportation for America after five years under Mobility Lab, is on Jan. 11 in D.C., preceding the Transportation Research Board’s big annual meeting that week. Hundreds of “thinkers and doers in the fields of transportation and urban planning” are expected to attend the event, beloved by the nerds of #TranspoTwitter.
— “Federal study confirms racial bias of many facial-recognition systems, casts doubt on their expanding use.” Washington Post.
— “German court rules against Uber operations.” POLITICO Europe.
— “EU court finds grounds for airline damages in spilled coffee.” Associated Press.
— “Repatriation of Mexican deportees to interior begins with first U.S. flight.” Reuters.
— “Amazon’s van-buying spree delivers a gift to auto industry.” Bloomberg.
— “Virginia to build Long Bridge and acquire CSX right of way to expand passenger train service.” Washington Post.
DOT appropriations run out tonight. The FAA reauthorization expires in 1,381 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 286 days.
