TSA Search Standards?

[Streakn1]

For the sake of national security I will not disclose the locations on this forum, but will refer to them only as secured areas.

What exactly are TSA employees looking for when you are being inspected at the gate prior to entering a secured area to load or unload? What have they been instructed and trained to do regarding inspection proceedures? Are they not all held to the Homeland Security Act rules and regulations?

I know this subject has been brought up in the past, but there is a courious pattern that I'm seeing here. The fact that there is no standardization in the inspection proceedure from one location to the next and even between shifts at the same location. I find that odd!

One time you will simply be asked for an ID and if there are any other people in the cab and through the gate you go without an inspection. What if that was the one time we were being held at gunpoint by someone hiding in our sleeper? Possible? Yes! Then the next time your vehicle is searched from top to bottom, inside and out at the same location, yet there threat level has'nt changed. Other times they will step into the cab area only and peer back in the sleeper just checking for additional people. What about when they do go into the sleeper and do nothing more than open drawers and cabinet doors to only glance in and nothing else? Do they really think they will find the things that are a threat out front in the open? So what are they looking for? Has anyone ever seen the actual S.O.P. or guidelines?

Although we inter secured areas much more often than with our prior carrier, the inspections for us are more tolerable now than then. In dealing with the inspections more often now, we see so much more variation in how the inspections are being done. It can't help but leave you wondering what is their job and who's really doing it correctly!

 

[greg334]

I'm thinking that this is a guarded thing, simply because if one knows what they are looking for, then they can hide things.

I have been searched where they looked at everything I had, sleeper, box and so on. One place had a pit I had to drive over for an inspection.

So I would assume that the level of security procedures they follow is directly related to the operations that go on there and follow a specific unpublished standard with on site additions to ensure security.

On the other hand I have gotten lost on a couple bases, when told to follow the signs and there ain't any, what else can you do but get lost. The funny thing is that no one seemed to care.

I'm rather amazed about one thing, I did one job for one company and I had to go through the inspections and so on but a few months later returned to the same place for another company and they were stopping the other company trucks while they passed me right through after checking my ID.

 

[layoutshooter]

There is one military base that we go to fairly often that no longer even checks us at the front gate, they just wave us through. I know that they don't know who we are, it is different guards each time. Maybe we just look cool. Layoutshooter

 

[DougTravels]

Delivering boots to the Marines on Paris Island, I had a pretty intensive truck search. It got a little tense, he wanted me to wait in guard office while he searched my cab and sleeper, I insisted on watching him do the searching of the interior. He seemed insulted that I didn't trust him inside my vehicle unattended.

Oh yeah, and he spilled my Mike and Ikes all over my console!

 

[Streakn1]

We see a more standard seach proceedure at the bases (which we rarely do) than the customers we frequent regularly and have TSA rather than military personel manning the gates.

 

[greg334]

We see a more standard seach proceedure at the bases (which we rarely do) than the customers we frequent regularly and have TSA rather than military personel manning the gates.

I know you meant the Airports and such, there is somewhat of a difference but again......

 

[Streakn1]

Oh yeah, and he spilled my Mike and Ikes all over my console!

Thats when I would have demanded to see the Base CO and demanded payment for the cost of a cleanup at a detail shop! LOL

You really want to p i s s them off, tell them before they enter your vehicle that if they damage or break anything inside your truck you will sue them for compensation. been there, done that!!!

 

[Streakn1]

Our T-600 Kenworth has a 4" stepdown from the cab floor to the Aerocab sleeper floor. Then the pass through opening from the Aero to our ARI sleeper has a 4-5" stepover that is common in many after market sleepers. Our carpet is black with the exception of the main sleeper floor which makes these items hard to see to the un-knowing eye.

For safety and liability reasons when told "I have to inspect inside your truck" we ask how far in do you plan on going? Obviously it raises an eyebrow and even suspicion, but the last thing we want is someone falling, getting hurt, and then suing us! Not all TSA agents wish to take the time to listen to you explain and allow you show them what you're trying to warn them about. After having an agent fall we now stand our ground until they have been shown. As recent as this week we had an agent that began by being quite resistant to even listen before entering our sleeper, end up not being able to thank my wife enough for stepping in ahead and showing the agent what to watch out for. The agent admitted that a fall and injuries most likely would have occurred otherwise as the agent would not have seen either obstical. as we had earlier explained to this agent, our tractor is not your typical arrangement.

Its ashamed that in trying to look out for someone's safety and avoid a potential lawsuit it almost has to become a standoff!

 

[pjjjjj]

If an inspector were to trip in your truck and injure himself.. would that be grounds for a lawsuit? (Crazy Americans! LOL)

Wouldn't the random nature and lack of standardization of inspection procedures be part of the security itself?

 

[Streakn1]

If an inspector were to trip in your truck and injure himself.. would that be grounds for a lawsuit? (Crazy Americans! LOL)

Ya gotta love this sue crazy society we live in here in the states!!! To many flunkies out there looking for a free ride at someone elses expense if you ask me. I'm going to do everything I can to keep them from getting that opportunity from me, like it or not!

How many TSA gate keepers have you met that really love their low paying and boring job? Given the chance to cash in on an personal injury claim, don't you think that most would do exactly that. God knows theres enough ambulance chasing attorneys out there to represent them and get their cut of the take.

 

[pjjjjj]

Sounds kinda like the case where the guy comes to your house party, get trashed, jumps from the second storey into your pool, breaks his neck and becomes a paraplegic trying to sue you for their misfortune. Or someone robbing your house and gets themselves shot in the butt, and tries to sue you. Guess it takes all kinds for the world to go 'round.

 

[Crazynuff]

ABC has an interesting show called "Homeland Security" that demonstrates some of their procedures . ABC Schedules a ‘Homeland Security’ Series - TV Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com . Pretty interesting . They let a cube van with a large amount of drugs come in from Mexico then kept an eye on it and made arrests when delivery was made . A British woman was denied entry at an airport because the amount and type of personal items she had (pet cat , family photos , personal documents ) led them to believe she planned on not returning to Great Britain . They really seem to enjoy dismantling vehicles they suspect have hidden drugs .
They give people breaks though . The dogs will detect even minute amounts of drugs . They have released people that had very small amounts of marijuana in the vehicle .

 

[usafk9]

The randomness, or irregularity in the type of search is, in and of itself, a psychological deterrent.

I realize that we as a 'community' are largely law-abiding, and try to have our feces coagulated long prior to an actual search. However, I am fairly certain there are those among us who believe they are above said laws. Not being prepared for a certain search is part of the game. It keeps you and them on our respective toes.