In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is distributing some guidelines for the commercial motor carrier industry, including school transportation. The following recommendations were included in a letter from Daniel P. Drexler, Minnesota director of the FMCSA, to the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association: • Recognize that employees are the first line of defense in security, but be aware that an employee can also be a security risk. • Establish a thorough and comprehensive hiring process, with detailed background checks. • Citizenship should be established and confirmed. If not a citizen, there should be a verification that all immigration documents are properly filed. • Establish an information and communication network within the company at all levels — local, regional and corporate. • Establish an information and communication network with other peer industry representatives. • Publicize security messages with all employees through company newsletters, bulletin boards, etc. • Establish procedures to reduce the opportunity for identity theft, personal and corporate. • Establish training sessions regarding company security objectives, procedures, employee responsibilities and organizational security structure.