Why Are We Sleepwalking into A Transportation Cyber War?

Hate to say we told you so

For years, SMART-TD members have warned federal regulators, transit agencies, and railroad executives about the dangers of turning America’s transportation systems over to automation. We were told we were overreacting. We were told computers would make railroads safer and more efficient. We were told to calm down because there were no monsters in the closet.

This week proved why our concerns are justified.

Critical Infrastructure is being tested and targeted

Reports now link the recent cyberattack against the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) to Iranian-backed hackers. Investigators say the attackers gained access to internal systems tied to one of the nation’s largest transit agencies, disrupting services and exposing sensitive operational data.

The question is, will regulators listen now, or does there have to be a mass casualty event before our obvious concerns are taken seriously?

This is exactly what SMART-TD warned about when the FRA continued approving dangerous automation policies while ignoring the concerns of frontline railroaders. The threat is no longer theoretical. It is happening now.

Hostile foreign actors have already proven they possess both the intent and the capability to target critical American infrastructure, including transportation systems.

And yet, federal regulators continue to allow carriers to expand automation deeper into rail operations.

Automation Creates New Vulnerabilities

Systems like CSX’s “Zero-to-Zero” Trip Optimizer increasingly place train handling, throttle control, and even the air brake functions into the hands of computers instead of trained railroaders. Every time regulators approve another layer of automation, they create another point of vulnerability for cyber criminals and hostile foreign governments to exploit.

This is not Hollywood fiction anymore.

Every rail line in America is critical infrastructure. Freight railroads move chemicals, fuel, military equipment, food, and the supplies that keep our economy alive. Passenger and commuter systems move millions of Americans every day. All of this occurs in the middle of dense populations and within feet of major water supplies and dangerous industrial environments.

When the transportation systems become more dependent on interconnected automation than trained and certified American workers, they become more vulnerable to cyberattacks. It is a very simple concept.

And when those systems fail, it is not corporate executives or software engineers standing on the front lines protecting the public.

It is transportation workers like every one of us at SMART-TD.

Transportation workers are the answer

A trained and certified railroader or bus operator can recognize danger, adapt to changing conditions, and respond when systems malfunction or communications fail. A computer cannot replace human judgment, experience, and situational awareness in a crisis.

That is why SMART-TD has consistently fought against reckless automation policies that prioritize profits over safety and national security. When we see those who are government officials publicly calling for tax dollar investment in things like Parallel Systems, fully automated rail cars, or driverless taxi technology to be used in mass transit, we can’t help but ask what part of this situation they aren’t able to understand.

The attack on LACMTA should be a wake-up call for the FRA, FTA, and DOT. America is moving toward a future where foreign cyber terrorists could potentially disrupt, manipulate, or disable transportation systems that millions of Americans depend on daily.

That is not paranoia. It is common sense.

Federal Regulators Must Change Course

SMART-TD members are not anti-technology. We believe technology should support transportation workers instead of replacing them. The safest railroad and transit systems are the ones that keep trained, certified American workers in control of critical operations and all safety features.

Federal regulators now face a choice: continue down the dangerous path toward unchecked automation or recognize that skilled transportation workers remain the strongest defense against both accidents and cyber threats.

The warning signs are here.

The attacks have already started.

And America still has time to change course before we hand over our transportation networks and supply chain to systems vulnerable to sophisticated cyber terrorists. DOT Regulators and Congress cannot allow this country to sleepwalk into a nationwide catastrophe.