|
 |
REMARKS
FOR
THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
FTA 9/11 AWARDS CEREMONY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JULY 16
11 AM
Thank
you, Susan, for that very gracious introduction, and thank you all for that warm
welcome. I am deeply honored to
participate in the recognition of the Federal Transit Administration's 9/11
Transportation Award recipients.
For
many of us, one of the most unforgettable images of the aftermath of 9/11 was
the evacuation of lower Manhattan in the hours immediately following the
attacks.
It
is impossible to say how many lives were saved that morning by the clear-headed
decision making of subway operators who moved their trains quickly out of harm's
way, bringing passengers to safety, and back home to their loved ones.
On
the heels of that bravery in New York City came the heroism of transit workers
right here in Washington, DC, when our Nation's Capital was also attacked.
Untold
thousands were evacuated from the city by mass transit workers who did not stop
even as smoke billowed from the Pentagon, just across the river.
Since
September 11th, you, the men and women of transit, have undertaken a series of
major steps to help prepare the transit industry to counter future terrorist
threats.
The
comprehensive security initiative developed by your administration has truly set
the standard for mass transportation security today.
FTA
has provided direct assistance to transit agencies across our nation through
on-site readiness assessments, technical assistance teams, regional forums for
emergency responders, grants for drills, training, and accelerating technology
and research projects.
And
while you have made great strides to strengthen security and emergency
preparedness in, around, and above America's transit systems, there is still
much more work to do.
Transit
provides mobility to millions of Americans in our most densely populated urban
areas, and serves the largest economic and financial centers in the nation in
ways many of us take for granted.
Every
workday, transit moves more than 14 million passengers.
In two weeks, transit carries more riders than AMTRAK transports in a
year. And in one month, transit
moves more passengers than U.S. airlines carry in twelve months.
And
our transit systems are designed to provide open, easy access to passengers, as
well as run under or along side key government buildings, business centers,
harbors, and many of our nation's most visible public icons.
Transit
also serves many intermodal gateways, thus impacting our entire transportation
infrastructure.
To
say that transit is, by its very nature, a high risk, high consequence target
for terrorists, would be a huge understatement.
As
we approach the second anniversary of the cowardly acts of September 11, 2001, I
can tell you that the importance of our work has not diminished, and our
ultimate success remains absolutely critical.
Therefore,
while I commend you today for your dedication to the task at hand, I challenge
each of you, to continue to build on the commitment you have all made to make
our transit systems as safe as possible.
In
doing so, I commend you for being architects of America's transportation future,
and for being visionary in your view of what is possible in transportation
security.
Thanks
to your continued commitment, at the U.S. Department of Transportation, at the
FTA, and in the transit industry, it is "Business NOT as usual."
And
now, with the help of Susan Knisely, I would like to personally recognize, and
sincerely thank, the recipients of FTA's 9/11 Transportation Awards.
#
# #