There are many modes of freight transport in the United States including rail, waterborne, truck, and air. Of these various means of shipping freight air transport is by far the smallest sector responsible for less than five percent of all freight shipped.. Never the less, because of the possibility that an explosive could detonate over a population center it poses one of the great risks in freight transport security in the United States. .
In the Spring of 2007 by the Industrial College of the Armed Forces issued a report entitled, Industry Study Final Report, Transportation. Among the findings in that report was one that indicates increasing congestion at national airports will be a growing problem. This poses a serious concern because their projections indicate that there will be 200% - 300% increase in passenger traffic as early as 2015. One of the major concerns expressed in that report was that although airlines were adding sufficient aircraft and adding new routes to prepare for this increase, the airports and transportation hubs were not. Not unexpected, the report projected that the increase in air transit, combined with decaying infrastructure would result in “inefficiency, congestion, and delay.” .
For years the air freight transport sector has been seen as a cause of concern regarding potential terrorist attacks. These concerns exist for a number of reasons. A terrorist attack on an airliner commands news coverage and reopens concerns for not just air travelers, but virtually anyone, anywhere, at any time, could be killed by an explosive in an unseen airplane traveling overhead. When terror is the object this state of fear is the desired result. .
Bibliography
Brunker, M. (2010, 10 29). Air Cargo Seen as Weak Spot in Terrorism Security Net. Retrieved from NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39917639/ns/us_news-security/t/air-cargo-seen-weak-spot-terrorism-security-net/
Gropman, A. L. (2008, 10). Security and Transportation: A Tough Balancing Act. Retrieved from National Defense: http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2008/October/Pages/SecurityandTransportation.aspx
Industrial College of the Armed Forces. (2007). Industry Study Final Report. Washington, D.C.: Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Lawless, J., & Barr, R. (2013, 06 17). UK blocks some UPS air cargo over security. Retrieved from NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43443607/ns/world_news-europe/t/uk-blocks-some-ups-air-cargo-over-security/
U.S. Department of Transportation. (2006). Assessing the Effects of Freight Movement on Air Quality at the National and Regional Level. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Transportation: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/publications/effects_of_freight_movement/chapter02.cfm
