x
Breaking News
More () »

TSA offering $15,000 for your ideas to speed-up airport security

The Transportation Security Administration is asking for help to speed up airport security lines. The agency is holding a challenge and will give $15,000 to the...

The Transportation Security Administration is asking for help to speed up airport security lines. The agency is holding a challenge and will give $15,000 to the best idea.

"The InnoCentive Challenge is about leveraging innovation and out-of-the-box thinking to find solutions to TSA's most challenging issues -- in our instance, for more effective and dynamic queue design," said a statement from the Transportation Security Administration.

The challenge they are facing has to do with the expanding TSA pre-check, a screening program that allows low-risk travelers to have a faster and more efficient security screening. The line for the pre-check moves faster because passengers do not have to take off their shoes, jackets or belts, can have certain liquids and can keep their laptop in bag for screening.

According to the challenge request, current pre-check layouts will need to adapt to support the increasing number of people using the program and the TSA wants "the Next Generation Checkpoint Queue Design Model to apply a scientific and simulation modeling approach to meet queue design and configuration needs of the dynamic security screening environment with TSA pre-check."

The challenge would like the new line design to incorporate the variety of passengers that use the screening process including: those that use the pre-check, standard, premier passengers, employee and flight crews, and those that require wheelchair access.

At the Quad City International Airport, passengers had some ideas of their own.

"Have everyone travel nude. But you'd have to be very considerate of your co-passengers," said Ralf Schreyer, who was preparing to leave for Munich, Germany.

"Different check points. Like, at this point you take your shoes off, check your shoes, and then like later on, they check your bag," said Ryan Berger, a passenger waiting for a flight to Orlando.

The deadline to submit an idea is August 15, 2014. As of 10:50 p.m. on July 29, 2014, there were 2,226 active solvers.

To submit an idea, click here.

 

 

 

Before You Leave, Check This Out