Travel affected by new security precautions

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Only active loading and unloading is permitted curbside. Student Rachel Pass commented on what it was like when she went to pick up her parents at the airport. "There is tight security. You couldn't leave your car there for more than 30 seconds without a police officer coming to say something to you," Pass said.

With heightened security, there will also be air marshals trained to handle terrorists and hijackers, anonymously on board select flights. In order to make sure of the proper functioning of certain devices, passengers will be required to tum on laptops, cell phones and pagers as well as pass them through the X-ray machine.

Airlines are not the only travel industry that is being affected. Bus and train companies have put out safety recommendations for travel as well. The Washington

Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C. has detoured metrobuses around the Pentagon and other areas of the city for security reasons and some shuttles have been shut down completely.

SEPTA has sent out a list of safety guidelines to follow including to be aware of your surroundings, never confront a suspicious person or touch a suspicious object, review emergency exit information and to review the location of safety equipment on vehicles.

In a letter sent out by John K. Leary Jr., general manager of SEPTA, he says, "In recent years, SEPTA's Transit Police Department has made extensive preparations for managing terrorist threats. Transit Police train and maintain constant communications with regional and federal emergency and law enforcement agencies. Since September's terrorist attacks, Transit Police have been on a heightened state of alert, patrolling our stations, vehicles and other transit facilities."

Chris Nielsen, marketing communications coordinator for the Transportation Management Association of Chester County, and recent graduate of Cabrini, said that ground transportation has not been affected to the degree that air traffic has. People are continuing to use buses and trains to get to work,just as they always have, but these forms of transportation are less likely to be used now for recreational purposes, mainly due to the economy. For people in the suburbs, the use of buses and trains are not as important, but for those in the city who depend on public transportation, life goes on as usual.

When asked whether there are security measures being taken for terminals, Nielsen said that metal detectors was an option, but if it were to happen, it would be far