The Transportation Security Administration told School Transportation News that the First Observer program designed to train school bus and other commercial drivers to be on the lookout for potential terrorist and criminal activity on the nation’s roads and highways is now only offered on the web.
William Arrington, branch manager of TSA’s Office of Highway and Motor Carrier, said the First Observer contract was awarded in January to Triumph-Enterprises, Inc., an 8A veteran-owned small business with its headquarters in Arlington, Va., and two other satellite offices in Virginia as well as in Florida and Texas. The prior contractor, HMS Company, announced in December that TSA had chosen to select a new company to manage the program, which has a new toll-free phone number (877-847-5510).
Meanwhile, Arrington said that First Observer is now only available as a web training module. Previously, trainers taught in-person sessions at various student transportation conferences, such as the STN EXPO in Reno, Nev. Arrington added that the new contract has three priorities: training development, website development for housing the training modules and industry outreach.
He added that the web training has the potential to reach a broader audience and is more cost-effecitve for government and industry, given the current economic situation. Arrington also said the is the potential for longer-term sustainability of First Observer, which results in a stronger security impact.”
“(Web-based training is) more responsive to security threat information and emerging technology,” he told STN.
The new First Observer is supported by subject matter experts, or SMEs, from the industries served, including school bus, to ensure the relevance of the training modules and web audiences. Arrington also said that existing work will be leveraged to avoid duplication and “preserving the essential elements of the ISAC priority is currently being explored.” He added that an industry oversight group has also been proposed, and TSA is awaiting “industry engagement.”
By fiscal year 2015, Arrington said program administration will move to TSA’s Office of Training and Workforce Engagement
