eCFR :: 49 CFR Part 1500 -- Applicability, Terms, and Abbreviations

eCFR :: 49 CFR Part 1500 -- Applicability, Terms, and Abbreviations
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Title 49
—Transportation
Subtitle B
—Other Regulations Relating to Transportation
Chapter XII
—Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security
Subchapter A
—Administrative and Procedural Rules
Part 1500
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Part 1500
Applicability, Terms, and Abbreviations
1500.1 – 1500.5
§ 1500.1
Applicability.
§ 1500.3
Terms and abbreviations used in this chapter.
§ 1500.5
Rules of construction.
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49 CFR Part 1500
Agency
Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security
Part 1500
Authority:
49 U.S.C. 114
5103
40113
44901-44907
44913-44914
44916-44918
44935-44936
44939
44942
46105
Pub. L. 110-53
(121 Stat. 266, Aug. 3, 2007) secs. 1408 (
6 U.S.C. 1137
), 1501 (
6 U.S.C. 1151
), 1517 (
6 U.S.C. 1167
), and 1534 (
6 U.S.C. 1184
).
Source:
67 FR 8351
, Feb. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.
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PART 1500—APPLICABILITY, TERMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS
Authority:
49 U.S.C. 114
5103
40113
44901-44907
44913-44914
44916-44918
44935-44936
44939
44942
46105
Pub. L. 110-53
(121 Stat. 266, Aug. 3, 2007) secs. 1408 (
6 U.S.C. 1137
), 1501 (
6 U.S.C. 1151
), 1517 (
6 U.S.C. 1167
), and 1534 (
6 U.S.C. 1184
).
Source:
67 FR 8351
, Feb. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.
§ 1500.1 Applicability.
This chapter, this subchapter, and this part apply to all matters regulated by the Transportation Security Administration.
§ 1500.3 Terms and abbreviations used in this chapter.
As used in this chapter:
Administrator
means the Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (Assistant Secretary), who is the highest-ranking TSA official, or his or her designee. Administrator also means the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security identified in
49 U.S.C. 114(b)
Alien
means “alien” as defined in
8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(3)
Authorized representative
means any individual who is not a direct employee of a person regulated under this title, but is authorized to act on that person's behalf to perform measures required under the Transportation Security Regulations, or a TSA security program. For purposes of this subchapter, the term “authorized representative” includes agents, contractors, and subcontractors, and employees of the same.
Bus
means any of several types of motor vehicles used by public or private entities to provide transportation service for passengers.
Bus transit system
means a public transportation system providing frequent transportation service (not limited to morning and evening peak travel times) for the primary purpose of moving passengers between bus stops, often through multiple connections (a bus transit system does not become a commuter bus system even if its primary purpose is the transportation of commuters). This term does not include tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations.
Citizen of the United States
or
U.S. Citizen
means any person who is a United States citizen by law, birth, or naturalization as described in
8 U.S.C. 1401
et seq.
Commuter bus system
means a system providing passenger service primarily during morning and evening peak periods, between an urban area and more distant outlying communities in a greater metropolitan area. This term does not include tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations.
Commuter passenger train service
means “train, commuter” as defined in
49 CFR 238.5
, and includes service provided by diesel or electric powered locomotives and railroad passenger cars to serve an urban area, its suburbs, and more distant outlying communities in the greater metropolitan area. A commuter passenger train service is part of the general railroad system of transportation regardless of whether it is physically connected to other railroads.
Day
means calendar day, unless called “business day,” which refers to Monday through Friday, excluding days when the U.S. Government is closed.
DHS
means the Department of Homeland Security and any directorate, bureau, or other component within the Department of Homeland Security, including the United States Coast Guard.
DOT
means the Department of Transportation and any operating administration, entity, or office within the Department of Transportation.
Fixed-route service
means the provision of transportation service by private entities operated along a prescribed route according to a fixed schedule.
General railroad system of transportation
means “the network of standard gauge track over which goods may be transported throughout the nation and passengers may travel between cities and within metropolitan and suburban areas” as defined in appendix A to 49 CFR part 209.
Hazardous material
means “hazardous material” as defined in
49 CFR 171.8
Heavy rail transit
means service provided by self-propelled electric railcars, typically drawing power from a third rail, operating in separate rights-of-way in multiple cars; also referred to as subways, metros or regional rail.
Host railroad
means a railroad that has effective control over a segment of track.
Improvised explosive device (IED)
means a device fabricated in an improvised manner that incorporates explosives or destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals in its design, and generally includes a power supply, a switch or timer, and a detonator or initiator.
Intercity passenger train service
means both “train, long-distance intercity passenger” and “train, short-distance intercity passenger” as defined in
49 CFR 238.5
Lawful permanent resident
means a person “lawfully admitted for permanent residence” as defined in
8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20)
Light rail transit
means service provided by self-propelled electric railcars, typically drawing power from an overhead wire, operating in either exclusive or non-exclusive rights-of-way in single or multiple cars, with shorter distance trips, and frequent stops; also referred to as streetcars, trolleys, and trams.
Motor vehicle
means a vehicle, machine, tractor, trailer, or semitrailer propelled or drawn by mechanical power and used upon the highways in the transportation of passengers or property, or any combination thereof, but does not include any vehicle, locomotive, or car operated exclusively on a rail or rails, or a trolley bus operated by electric power derived from a fixed overhead wire, furnishing local passenger transportation similar to street-railway service.
National of the United States
or
U.S. national
means:
(1)
A citizen of the United States; or
(2)
A person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States, as defined in
8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)
Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB)
means a bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.
Owner/operator
means any person that owns, or maintains operational control over, any transportation infrastructure asset, facility, or system regulated under this title, including airport operator, aircraft operator, foreign air carrier, indirect air carrier, certified cargo screening facility, flight school within the meaning of
49 CFR 1552.1(b)
, motor vehicle, public transportation agency, or railroad carrier. For purposes of a maritime facility or a vessel, owner/operator has the same meaning as defined in
33 CFR 101.105
Passenger rail car
means rail rolling equipment intended to provide transportation for members of the general public and includes a self-propelled rail car designed to carry passengers, baggage, mail, or express. This term includes a rail passenger coach, cab car, and a Multiple Unit (MU) locomotive. In the context of articulated equipment, “passenger rail car” means that segment of the rail rolling equipment located between two trucks. This term does not include a private rail car.
Passenger railroad carrier
means a railroad carrier that provides transportation to persons (other than employees, contractors, or persons riding equipment to observe or monitor railroad operations) by railroad in intercity passenger service or commuter or other short-haul passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area.
Passenger train
means a train that transports or is available to transport members of the general public.
Person
means an individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint-stock company, or governmental authority. It includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, successor, or similar representative of any of them.
Private rail car
means rail rolling equipment that is used only for excursion, recreational, or private transportation purposes. A private rail car is not a passenger rail car.
Public transportation
means transportation provided to the general public by a regular and continuing general or specific transportation vehicle that is owned or operated by a public transportation agency, including providing one or more of the following types of passenger transportation:
(1)
Intercity or commuter passenger train service or other short-haul railroad passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area (as described by
49 U.S.C. 20102(1)
).
(2)
Heavy or light rail transit service, whether on or off the general railroad system of transportation.
(3)
An automated guideway, cable car, inclined plane, funicular, or monorail system.
(4)
Bus transit or commuter bus service.
Public transportation agency
means any publicly-owned or operated provider of regular and continuing public transportation.
Rail hazardous materials receiver
means any owner/operator of a fixed-site facility that has a physical connection to the general railroad system of transportation and receives or unloads from transportation in commerce by rail one or more of the categories and quantities of rail security-sensitive materials identified in
49 CFR 1580.3
, but does not include the owner/operator of a facility owned or operated by a department, agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government.
Rail hazardous materials shipper
means the owner/operator of any fixed-site facility that has a physical connection to the general railroad system of transportation and offers (as defined in the definition of “person who offers or offeror” in
49 CFR 171.8
), prepares or loads for transportation by rail one or more of the categories and quantities of rail security-sensitive materials as identified in
49 CFR 1580.3
, but does not include the owner/operator of a facility owned or operated by a department, agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government.
Rail secure area
means a secure location(s) identified by a rail hazardous materials shipper or rail hazardous materials receiver where security-related pre-transportation or transportation functions are performed or rail cars containing the categories and quantities of rail security-sensitive materials are prepared, loaded, stored, and/or unloaded.
Rail transit facility
means rail transit stations, terminals, and locations at which rail transit infrastructure assets are stored, command and control operations are performed, or maintenance is performed. The term also includes rail yards, crew management centers, dispatching centers, transportation terminals and stations, fueling centers, and telecommunication centers.
Rail transit system or “Rail Fixed Guideway System”
means any light, heavy, or rapid rail system, monorail, inclined plane, funicular, cable car, trolley, or automated guideway that traditionally does not operate on track that is part of the general railroad system of transportation.
Railroad carrier
means an owner/operator providing railroad transportation.
Railroad transportation
means:
(1)
Any form of non-highway ground transportation that runs on rails or electromagnetic guideways, including:
(i)
Commuter or other short-haul rail passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area; and
(ii)
High speed ground transportation systems that connect metropolitan areas, without regard to whether these systems use new technologies not associated with traditional railroads.
(2)
Such term includes rail transit service operating on track that is part of the general railroad system of transportation but does not include rapid transit operations in an urban area that are not connected to the general railroad system of transportation.
Record
includes any means by which information is preserved, irrespective of format, including a book, paper, drawing, map, recording, tape, film, photograph, machine-readable material, and any information stored in an electronic format. The term record also includes any draft, proposed, or recommended change to any record.
Sensitive security information (SSI)
means information that is described in and must be managed in accordance with
49 CFR part 1520
State
means a State of the United States and the District of Columbia.
Tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operation
means a railroad or bus operation that carries passengers, often using antiquated equipment, with the conveyance of the passengers to a particular destination not being the principal purpose. Train or bus movements of new passenger equipment for demonstration purposes are not tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations.
Transit
means mass transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but does not include school bus, charter, or sightseeing transportation. Rail transit may occur on or off the general railroad system of transportation.
Transportation
or
transport
means the movement of property including loading, unloading, and storage. Transportation or transport also includes the movement of people, boarding, and disembarking incident to that movement.
Transportation facility
means a location at which transportation cargo, equipment or infrastructure assets are stored, equipment is transferred between conveyances and/or modes of transportation, transportation command and control operations are performed, or maintenance operations are performed. The term also includes, but is not limited to, passenger stations and terminals (including any fixed facility at which passengers are picked-up or discharged), vehicle storage buildings or yards, crew management centers, dispatching centers, fueling centers, and telecommunication centers.
Transportation security equipment and systems
means items, both integrated into a system and stand-alone, used by owner/operators to enhance capabilities to detect, deter, prevent, or respond to a threat or incident, including, but not limited to, video surveillance, explosives detection, radiological detection, intrusion detection, motion detection, and security screening.
Transportation Security Regulations (TSR)
means the regulations issued by the Transportation Security Administration, in
title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations
, chapter XII, which includes parts 1500 through 1699.
Transportation Security-Sensitive Material (TSSM)
means hazardous materials identified in
49 CFR 172.800(b)
TSA
means the Transportation Security Administration.
United States,
in a geographical sense, means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and territories and possessions of the United States, including the territorial sea and the overlying airspace.
Vulnerability assessment
includes any review, audit, or other examination of the security of a transportation system, infrastructure asset, or a transportation-related automated system or network to determine its vulnerability to unlawful interference, whether during the conception, planning, design, construction, operation, or decommissioning phase. A vulnerability assessment includes the methodology for the assessment, the results of the assessment, and any proposed, recommended, or directed actions or countermeasures to address security concerns.
85 FR 16497
, Mar. 23, 2020, as amended at
89 FR 35625
, May 1, 2024;
91 FR 7161
, Feb. 17, 2026]
§ 1500.5 Rules of construction.
(a)
In this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1)
Words importing the singular include the plural.
(2)
Words importing the plural include the singular.
(3)
Words importing the masculine sex include the feminine.
(b)
In this chapter, the word:
(1)
“Must” is used in an imperative sense;
(2)
“May” is used in a permissive sense to state authority or permission to do the act prescribed, and the words “no person may * * *” or “a person may not * * *” mean that no person is required, authorized, or permitted to do the act prescribed; and
(3)
“Includes” means “includes but is not limited to”.
67 FR 8351
, Feb. 22, 2002, as amended at
90 FR 21690
, May 21, 2025]
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