Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Buses

New Report Maps Link Between Overseas Transit Attacks and Domestic Risk

Transit networks around the world beefed up security measures in the wake of last month's fatal bombing of a Moscow subway car, but the relevance of circumstances and tactics used in overseas terrorist attacks to U.S. rail and bus security remains unclear, according to a new report partly funded by the U.S. DOT.

0329_US_Subway_Security_full_380.jpgA police officer monitors New York City subway commuters last month, part of stepped-up security after the Moscow attack. (Photo: AP/CSM)

The report was released in March by the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University, which gets funding from the U.S. DOT and the California state legislature. The MTI, named for the Bush-era Transportation Secretary, is in the process of assembling the first database of terrorist attacks specific to U.S. surface transport modes, supplementing existing government statistics with its own research.

The MTI's latest report on its database analyzed more than 1,600 terrorist attacks on or threats to surface transportation -- only 15 of which occurred in North America. Of those, four were directed at public buses, three at bridges, and eight at trains.

Transit's lack of prevalence as a terrorist target in the United States, according to the MTI, is due in part to the more widespread public use of rail and buses in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. From the report:

Most of the attacks take place in countries in which train or bus transportation is eitherthe primary means of public transportation (e.g., in Israel) or, along with trains, a largepart of it, and in rural areas, the only public transportation.

This is far from the situation in the United States, where aviation is the primary method of long-haul transportation, and with the exception of high-density urban centers such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco, the automobile is the primary method of local transportation. Where train or bus transportation is extremely important, it becomes an obvious terrorist target. Conversely, where it is not so important, it may be a less likely target.

Even so, the MTI noted that transit remains in the sights of terrorist groups seeking "soft targets," buildings or elements of infrastructure that may not be as tightly guarded as government property but would carry a risk of significant casualties. Recent attacks on transit in London, Madrid, and Mumbai "were considered major terrorist successes," the report's authors warned. "Past success makes future attempts more likely."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Are We All Living in a ‘Carspiracy’?

How does "car-brain" shape the way we think about the world — even in relatively bike-friendly countries like the U.K.?

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

Bikeshares, and e-bikes and scooters generally, are becoming more popular. That's led to more injuries, highlighting the need for better infrastructure.

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on With the California E-Bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague.

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 25, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts