TSA employs a risk-based strategy to secure U.S. transportation systems, working closely with stakeholders in the aviation, rail, transit, highway, and pipeline sectors, as well as partners in the law enforcement and intelligence community.

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The History of the TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in the wake of 9/11 to strengthen the security of the nation’s transportation systems while ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. Within a year, TSA assumed responsibility for security at the nation’s airports and deployed a Federal workforce to meet Congressional deadlines for screening all commercial airline passengers and baggage. In March 2003, TSA transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security.

The TSA’s Freight Management Division oversees the security of the transportation of hazardous materials, including explosives and other dangerous goods, by air, highway, rail, and vessel. The division works closely with the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to ensure that hazardous materials are transported safely and securely.

The TSA has a number of programs and initiatives in place to improve the security of freight transportation, including the Security Threat Assessment and Credentialing (STAC) program, which conducts background checks on individuals who transport hazardous materials, and the Hazardous Materials Information Management System (HMIMS), which helps to identify and track shipments of hazardous materials.