---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 1183"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "1183"
heading: "Over-the-road bus exercises"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/1183"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Transportation Security"
  - "Subchapter IV — Surface Transportation Security"
  - "Part C — Over-the-Road Bus and Trucking Security"
---

# §1183. Over-the-road bus exercises

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) shall establish a program for conducting security exercises for [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) [transportation](/usc/6/1151.md?p=11) for the purpose of assessing and improving the capabilities of entities described in [subsection (b)](#b) to prevent, prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/1111.md?p=5).
- (b) **Covered entities—** Entities to be assessed under the program shall include—
  - (1) Federal, [State](/usc/6/1151.md?p=9), and local [agencies](/usc/6/701.md?p=2) and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13);
  - (2) [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) operators and [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) terminal owners and operators;
  - (3) governmental and nongovernmental [emergency response providers](/usc/6/194.md?p=g-2) and law enforcement [agencies](/usc/6/701.md?p=2); and
  - (4) any other organization or entity that the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) determines appropriate.
- (c) **Requirements—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) shall ensure that the program—
  - (1) consolidates existing security exercises for [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) operators and terminals administered by the [Department](/usc/6/1151.md?p=3) and the [Department](/usc/6/1151.md?p=3) of [Transportation](/usc/6/1151.md?p=11), as jointly determined by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) and the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) of [Transportation](/usc/6/1151.md?p=11), unless the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) waives this consolidation requirement, as appropriate;
  - (2) consists of exercises that are—
    - (A) scaled and tailored to the needs of the [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) operators and terminals, including addressing the needs of the elderly and individuals with disabilities;
    - (B) live, in the case of the most at-risk facilities to a terrorist attack;
    - (C) coordinated with appropriate officials;
    - (D) as realistic as practicable and based on current risk assessments, including credible threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences;
    - (E) inclusive, as appropriate, of [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) [frontline employees](/usc/6/1131.md?p=4); and
    - (F) consistent with the [National Incident Management System](/usc/6/701.md?p=12), the [National Response Plan](/usc/6/311.md?p=8), the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, the National Preparedness Guidance, the [National Preparedness Goal](/usc/6/741.md?p=5), and other such national initiatives;
  - (3) provides that exercises described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) will be—
    - (A) evaluated by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) against clear and consistent performance measures;
    - (B) assessed by the [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) to identify best practices, which shall be shared, as appropriate, with operators providing [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) [transportation](/usc/6/1151.md?p=11), nonprofit employee organizations that represent [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) employees, Federal, [State](/usc/6/1151.md?p=9), local, and tribal officials, governmental and nongovernmental [emergency response providers](/usc/6/194.md?p=g-2), and law enforcement personnel; and
    - (C) used to develop recommendations, as appropriate, provided to [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) operators and terminal owners and operators on remedial action to be taken in response to lessons learned;
  - (4) allows for proper advanced notification of communities and [local governments](/usc/6/470.md?p=a-2) in which exercises are held, as appropriate; and
  - (5) assists [State](/usc/6/1151.md?p=9), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) and [over-the-road bus](/usc/6/1151.md?p=4) operators and terminal owners and operators in designing, implementing, and evaluating additional exercises that conform to the requirements of [paragraph (2)](#c-2).
- (d) **National Exercise Program—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/1151.md?p=2) shall ensure that the exercise program developed under [subsection (c)](#c) is consistent with the [National Exercise Program](/usc/6/821.md?p=10) established under [section 748 of this title](/usc/6/748.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–53, title XV, § 1533, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 460.)