The Highway Watch program has been discontinued after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined to finance the program, according to information from the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
ATA is exploring other options for continuing the program in some manner in the future. In addition, the Highway Watch call center has been suspended. Incident reports are no longer being processed by the call center. If drivers or carriers have an emergency-related call, they are advised to dial 9-1-1. Those calling to report a suspicious security event should call the TSA National Operations Center toll-free at 866-615-5150.
DHS is expected to provide funding for another project.
The Highway Watch program was the roadway sector's national safety and security program that used the skills, experiences, and “road smarts” of America's transportation workers to help protect the nation's infrastructure and the transportation of goods, services, and people. The program conducted anti-terrorism and safety awareness training for highway professionals, and then shared and analyzed observations collected from its members though its Highway Watch Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Highway Watch worked collaboratively with law enforcement, federal intelligence agencies, and transportation industry leaders.
In a photograph of a panel giving reports on a roundtable breakout discussions at the National Tank Truck Carriers Safety Seminar in San Antonio earlier this year, Joe Kizaur of Standfast USA was misidentified. He is shown here (third from left). Other participants include (from left) Fritz Mead, National Tank Truck Carriers; Darrell Bowman, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute; Lori Pavlish, Dow Chemical Co; and John Conley, National Tank Truck Carriers.