The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a plan to make sure there are backup systems for the Global Positioning System used in critical transportation applications.

The announcement follows the department's review of a study assessing the vulnerability of the national transportation infrastructure that relies on GPS. The study, prepared by DOT's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and released in September 2001, noted that GPS is susceptible to unintentional disruption from such causes as atmospheric effects, signal blockage from buildings, and interference from communications equipment, as well as to potential deliberate disruption. It contained a number of recommendations to address the possibility of disruption and ensure the safety of the national transportation infrastructure.
DOT's operating administrations have completed their assessments and concur with all of the report recommendations. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta has formally endorsed the report, noting that safety-critical transportation applications that use GPS currently have adequate backups in case of GPS disruptions. Mineta added that future actions will be necessary to build redundancy into critical transportation systems under development.
"Immediately following the report's release, I directed DOT's operating administrations to assess the adequacy of backup systems for each area of operation in which GPS is being used for vital transportation functions," Secretary Mineta said. "The action plan we are announcing today will ensure that the vulnerabilities identified in the report do not affect the safety and security of our transportation system as we work to ensure that GPS fulfills its potential as a key element of the nation's transportation infrastructure."
Based on the report recommendations, the department will implement an action plan to ensure that adequate backup systems are maintained. It will work with the Department of Defense to continue modernizing GPS with the implementation of new civil signals and to get anti-jam technology from the military for civil use. The plan will promote education programs with state and local departments of transportation that advise users about GPS vulnerabilities.
The Volpe report, Vulnerability Assessment of the Transportation Infrastructure Relying on the Global Positioning System, is available through the Coast Guard Navigation Center website at www.navcen.uscg.gov.