Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jefferies issued the following statement on the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) cybersecurity directive for freight and passenger railroads.

“There is no higher priority for the rail industry than the safety and security of our national network,” said Jefferies. “For more than two decades, the industry has been a leader at bringing the right people and information together to address evolving cyber threats. Collaboration between railroads and government partners on these issues has a long, productive history that will continue to maintain and advance the smart, effective solutions to keep our network safe and freight moving. We appreciate the administration’s efforts on these important issues.”

Through the AAR’s Rail Information Security Committee (RISC), railroads have coordinated and shared cybersecurity information at the industry level to address evolving threats and to enhance network security since 1999. The new TSA requirements set in the directive institutionalize and builds upon existing, effective industry practices that have helped keep the nation’s rail network secure and prevent associated operational disruptions.