News

Portland State University’s (PSU) Extended Studies and the Oregon Trucking Association (OTA) have joined forces to provide the Highway Watch training program as a way of strengthening homeland security efforts.

This training, funded by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as part of its mission to increase safety and security on the nation’s highways, will provide information to trucking personnel on how to recognize and report potential terrorist threats as well as safety concerns, such as broken down vehicles, hazardous road and weather conditions and other traffic issues affecting the nation’s highways.

“Our partnership will provide important training to the transportation professionals that are on our nation’s highways every day, helping in their efforts to ensure our country’s transportation infrastructure is safe,” said Mike Burton, PSU vice provost for Extended Studies.

The transportation industry has over three million professionals who could potentially monitor for security threats at ports, airports, malls, bridges and tunnels—thus giving greater range to homeland security observation efforts.

“Highway Watch is a common sense approach to expanding our state of readiness to guard against future terrorist attacks and to make our highways generally a safer place," said Bob Russell, president of the Oregon Trucking Association.

The program will serve over 4,500 Oregon trucking personnel and will be offered throughout Oregon.

PSU Extended Studies uses the strengths of Portland State University to serve and empower lifelong learners by delivering accessible programs that are flexible, responsive and innovative. Extended Studies is responsible for yearlong professional and personal development offerings. Extended Studies delivers credit and noncredit programs, courses, and workshops on and off campus that bring the best resources of the University and the community together to meet the challenges faced in the local business community.