chicago subway

Lawmakers Warn Cities to Stop Contracting Chinese Companies To Build Transit Systems

Despite concerns about Chinese manufacturers having access to U.S. transportation data, cities continue to move ahead with plans to partner with state-owned companies.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are concerned about the continued partnerships between American cities and Chinese companies to build transit systems, including rail cars and buses.

Those anxieties were aired at a Thursday Senate Banking Committee hearing on the threats posed by state-owned and operated transportation services. Two Chinese companies in particular, the railcar manufacturer China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) and bus and electric battery manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD), were the focus of much criticism about the potential security threats to transportation system data.

“The potential for an adversarial state actor to monitor the movements of American citizens, hack personal or government-issued devices, and collect intelligence on our military is a major security concern,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said at the hearing, according to The Hill.

Last December, Cornyn was at the center of an effort to ban states or cities from using federal funds to buy passenger rail cars or buses from state-owned or controlled manufacturers. While the bill was signed into law as part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the law will not go into effect for two years, The Hill reported.

“Unfortunately, special interests were able to demand a two-year enforcement delay of some of this legislation’s critical components,” Cornyn said. “I am here today to ask for your help in ensuring this delay does not turn into a window the Chinese Communist Party and its state-controlled companies can further exploit.”

Cybersecurity and national security officials have expressed similar concerns about Huawei, TikTok and other Chinese companies, which are required by a Chinese law to participate in the country’s intelligence work and disclose sensitive data if asked.

However, many cities -- including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia -- are moving ahead with plans to buy from CRRC, the world’s largest manufacturer of metro rail cars. New York’s transit authority said in 2018 that the company had won its bid to build new railcars, offering $50 million of its own money.

A similarly low bid allowed CRRC to win the contest to build railcars for Chicago’s transit system. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said Chinese subsidies give CRRC and BYD an unfair advantage.

“CRRC and BYD are two in a long line of examples of how China cheats its way ... into being a global leader into industry after industry,” Brown said. “Congress still needs to fully assess the risk associated with data of our transportation system being exposed to foreign actors.”

The two-year delay is not in effect for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which is banned from accepting bids from CRRC to build its railcars.

 

For its part, CRRC has said that once the railcars are built and delivered to the transit agencies, the company does not have control over the transportation data. “CRRC is very dedicated and very supportive of the fact that there will be security measures, safety measures and transit agencies will want to be satisfied before they accept a car,” chief legal counsel Marina Popovic told The Hill last year.

Cities must be aware of the potential threats posed by Chinese technology and that the low-balling bids are not worth the security challenges, lawmakers said on Thursday.

“Allowing American trains and buses to become Trojan horses for these technologies on American soil is unacceptable,” Cornyn said.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.