Updates

TSA Turns Five - Facts and Figures

On November 16, TSA will mark its fifth anniversary. Having been created in the aftermath of September 11, TSA has made great strides in securing all modes of transportation and preventing terrorist attacks. Here is a list of some of the accomplishments TSA has made to date:
  • Transportation Security Officers have found more than 40 million prohibited items (knives, explosives, guns, weapons, etc.) at screening checkpoints and prevented them from getting on planes.
  • TSA has substantially bolstered intelligence gathering and is aggressively pursuing new and/or improved technology. Approximately $1 billion has been committed to upgrading explosives detection systems at airports over a three-year period.
  • The Air Cargo Rule published in May 2006 was designed to protect the more than 50,000 tons of cargo that are transported aboard passenger and all-cargo aircraft each day. These are the first substantial changes to air cargo regulations since 1999.
  • TSA assisted in the evacuation efforts for more than 4,500 American citizens returning home from Lebanon in July 2006.
  • Transportation Security Officers from around the country traveled to New Orleans in 2005 to facilitate the air evacuation of 25,000 passengers after Hurricane Katrina.
  • The National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program has grown to include 425 teams at more than 80 airports and 11 mass transit systems nationwide.
  • TSA has secured the transportation of hazardous materials, including explosives, by requiring background checks for all individuals requiring a Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) for a commercial drivers license. In August 2006, TSA began to require similar background checks for drivers from Canada and Mexico. To date, TSA has had more than 200,000 new applications for HMEs, and has conducted name-based checks on the current 2.7 million Hazmat-endorsed drivers.