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American Morning

America's New War: In New York City, Police Searches of Cars and Trucks Heading to Manhattan

Aired September 26, 2001 - 09:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A sign of the changing times in New York city: police searches of cars and trucks heading in to Manhattan. And Mayor Rudy Giuliani is telling drivers to get used to the idea of carpooling.

CNN's Jason Carroll is at a checkpoint at the Queensboro Bridge. Have authorities found anything of significance there this morning?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not to our knowledge, not yet, Paula. But you can see that traffic has really been brought to a halt. Take a look out here. You can see some of the trucks that have been stopped, and are being searched by New York City police officers as they are out here. Security checkpoints like this one have set up since the terrorist attacks. And New York City has stepped up efforts in a wake of federal investigation to terrorist activities.

You may remember yesterday, Paula, when Attorney General John Ashcroft said that a number of people who been arrested, who had tried to obtain or had obtained licenses to transport hazardous materials. New York City in response has really stepped up its inspections, like the ones that you see happening out here right now. That's been causing traffic tie-ups and delays lasting in some cases several hours. The mayor now in response has said that the four major bridges on the east side of Manhattan what's going to happen is you're going to have to carpool. if you are going to use any of those four bridges to get into the city. That rule will go into effect tomorrow, beginning at 6:00 a.m. until noon until further notice. That rule could possibly be expanded to include other bridges and tunnels as well, Paula.

In terms of recommendations, the mayor saying use mass transit. Use the buses, use the subways. He has every confidence in the buses and the subways. He wants to get people using those again. He says that's the only way it will alleviate the traffic congestion out here because of security checkpoints -- Paula.

ZAHN: Brief answer to this one. The truckers, at least that we've seen on camera, appear to be very respectful. Anyone ticked off this morning about the process?

CARROLL: Haven't seen it, Paula. Given what's happened, really everyone is trying to be patient. I see the truckers patient. When their pulled over, everyone is willingly opening up the back of their trucks, allowing these searches to take place. So far these searches are not taking terribly long, but as you know, they do add up, with all the thousands of trucks that are trying to get in and out of the city.

ZAHN: All right, thanks so much, Jason Carroll reporting from the checkpoint at the Queensboro Bridge. See you later on this morning.

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