Transportation Security Information Sharing: Results of GAO's Survey of Stakeholder Satisfaction with TSA Products and Mechanisms (GAO-12-67SP, November 2011), an E-supplement to GAO-12-44

Background

This e-supplement is a companion to our report entitled "Transportation Security Information Sharing: Stakeholders Generally Satisfied but TSA Could Improve Analysis, Awareness, and Accountability," GAO-12-44. Section 1203 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 directed GAO to survey transportation stakeholders regarding the security-related information products they receive [Pub. L. No. 110-53, 1203(a), 121 Stat. 266, 383-85 (2007) (codified at 49 U.S.C. 114(u)(7)).].

Stakeholders surveyed include security officials at commercial passenger airlines, Category X and I commercial airports, air cargo carriers, Amtrak, Class I freight railroads, short line and regional railroads that carry toxic inhalation hazards or operate in high-threat urban areas, and state Departments of Transportation or Emergency Management. Category X airports represent the nation's largest and busiest airports as measured by the volume of passenger traffic and are potentially attractive targets for criminal and terrorist activity. TSA classifies the nation's airports into one of five categories (X, I, II, III, and IV) based on various factors such as the number of takeoffs and landings annually, the extent of passenger screening at the airport, and other security considerations. In general, Category X airports have the largest number of passenger boardings and Category IV airports have the smallest. As defined by revenue, for 2009, Class I railroads are freight rail carriers having an operating revenue of $379 million or more.

The purpose of the survey was to assess the satisfaction of public and private transportation stakeholders with the quality of the security-related information products and briefings they receive from the Transportation Security Administration and the mechanisms they use to obtain those products.

We administered this Web survey to 335 stakeholder organizations between April 4 and May 18, 2011. We identified organizations using TSA's security information product distribution lists and in consultation with aviation, passenger and freight rail, and highway industry organizations. (We did not survey passenger rail systems other than Amtrak nor other public transportation sector organizations because they had been surveyed for a previous report, GAO-10-895.)

We received completed questionnaires from 275 organizations, for a response rate of 82.1 percent. Although all known relevant organizations were selected for our survey, and the survey results are therefore not subject to sampling error, nonresponse and the practical difficulties of conducting any survey may introduce other errors into the results. However, we took steps to minimize errors of measurement, nonresponse, and data processing. No weights were applied to the reported results.

For a full discussion of the survey methodology, the nature of survey error, and the steps we took to minimize such error, see Appendix I of the full report, GAO-12-44.

A facsimile of the final Web survey instrument is reproduced in this e-supplement, along with summary statistics for each numeric question and the number of valid responses to each question. Open-ended responses to survey questions are not included in the e-supplement.

We conducted this performance audit from May 2010 through November 2011 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.

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