Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast

On May 14, 2024, a well-coordinated ambush targeted a prison convoy in France, transporting high-profile inmate Mohamed Amra. The attackers, armed with automatic weapons, executed their plan with precision, resulting in the deaths of two prison officers and serious injuries to three others. CCTV footage captured the entire incident, providing invaluable forensic evidence. After an extensive nine-month international search, authorities apprehended Amra in Romania on February 22, 2025. Following the attack, the International Security Driver Association (ISDA) conducted an in-depth analysis, utilizing video footage, images, and Google Maps data to develop a comprehensive PDF briefing document titled "Analysis of the Prison Convoy Ambush in France." This document examines the attackers' tactics, security vulnerabilities, and potential failures in secure transport operations. It also offers critical training recommendations for security drivers and protective teams. To further enhance accessibility and understanding, ISDA uploaded the PDF into Google's Notebook LM, a tool capable of generating multiple outputs, including FAQs, a study guide, a table of contents, a timeline, a briefing, and—most notably—a podcast. The Notebook LM Podcast is the first in a series of three Journals. The podcast features an AI-generated conversation between a male and female voice, discussing key insights from the PDF report.

A tragic video has been circulating throughout various social media. It took place at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, Venezuela. The video is from a bodyguard training program. This terrible event brings to light a problem – which is the state of security driver training. Read the full show notes from this episode at SecurityDriver.Com

This Sunday, May 29th, will be the 106th running of the Indy 500. So, we thought we would apply the Science of Driving to the Indy 500 and do a simple analysis of the track and the drivers. Hopefully, it will make watching the race more enjoyable. Full show notes are available here

This episode will cover Executive Vehicle Specifications, including H-Point, Vision Line Height, Cargo Room, and how these measurements affect the safety and security of the vehicle occupants. We'll also touch on another safety topic, advanced driver assistance systems. As we have said many times, the executive vehicle is the instrument used by the Security Driving and Secure Transportation profession to earn a living. Many of our Association Members are responsible for the selection and eventual purchase of the executive vehicles. In the next few years, all vehicles, including Executive Vehicles, will be changing at an exponential rate. The Association will be researching those changes and their effect on Secure Transportation Professionals. Visit SecurityDriver.Com for the show notes and links mentioned in the episode.

The question that many Security Drivers and Secure Transportation providers have heard – "Why do I need a Security Driver – Why can't we use a chauffeur service?" Or – why can't we use an Uber or Lyft car? A few years ago there was an article that appeared in Security Magazine, titled "What to Look for in Travel Security and Executive Protection Services." While the article may be old the content is still valid. The author concludes that while the Executive is traveling, having a security-trained driver is paramount to a successful executive protection program. As the author emphasizes in the article, the benefits of a security-trained driver extend well beyond their greater ability to utilize a vehicle's performance capabilities, and we'll add, particularly in unfamiliar locations far from home. The article goes on to say that there is no formal definition of "security-trained driver" that exists; there is no central governing body whose credentials you can trust to lead you to the right provider. A "Security-trained driver" could mean anything from a military veteran with 20+ years of relevant experience to a taxi driver who's gone through a defensive driving program. We respectfully disagree with that comment. Mention Links The origin of the 80% standard in the Science of Security Driving Chauffeur vs. Security Driver Key Quotes "There has been a standard accepted by the corporate Kidnap and Ransom Insurance (K&R) and the High-Net-Worth (HNW) community for more than four decades. It is called the 80% standard." "A good chauffeur is concerned about not spilling the boss's coffee and avoiding bumps. Generally, chauffeurs can handle routine emergencies if they happen slowly. This has nothing in common with the skills needed for a trained security driver. " Full Show notes are available at SecurityDriver.Com Join the International Security Driver Association The International Security Driver Association (ISDA) is the only organization in the world dedicated to supporting the advancement of professional Security Drivers and other Secure Transportation providers. Learn more about who we are, what we do, who we do it for, and member benefits; visit ISDACenter.Org.

With all the inherent risks security drivers secure transportation service providers face on the road, there is probably none more so than road rage or aggressive driving. So, today we are talking all about road rage – what it is, how to avoid it, and some interesting statistics that show the impact of road rage. Full Show notes and links

The number of carjacking incidents reported by the Department of Justice is about 49,000 per year. In some locations in the U.S., the number of Carjackings is becoming an epidemic – it can happen to anyone anywhere and anytime. In 2020, Chicago carjackings were up a staggering 134%, with 1,416 people being forcibly removed from their vehicles. This trend has continued in 2021, with Minneapolis seeing a 38% increase, Chicago up 44%, Washington, D.C. up 45%, and New York up a whopping 81%. As a Secure Transportation Provider or Security Driver, it is your responsibility to know if Carjacking is a risk that needs to be mitigated. For full show notes and links click here

We have two topics to discuss in this episode - how the infrastructure bill will impact secure transportation. Also, we'll share information on a somewhat related topic - the Lucid Air Electric Vehicle. Full show notes and links are available here.

In today's episode, we continue with the second installment of our Best Practices for Protective Driver Training Series. The topic for part two is benchmarking driving skills. You can find part one here. as serious practitioners have known for decades, statistics have indicated that the overwhelming majority of security incidents involving corporate executives – and high-profile individuals, including government and military, have occurred while the targeted individual was in or around their vehicle. Therefore, in the educated market of protective services, history and common sense dictate security practitioners address the incidents with the highest probability of occurrence, traveling by vehicle. When considering the risk of travel by vehicle, the safety and security of vehicle occupants during this most dangerous period of time are literally in the hands of the skilled Security Driver. Click here for complete show notes

In this week's episode, the topic is An Answer to Question - Why do I need secure transportation? – A Marketing Tool from the IRS. On-Page 136 of Joe Autera's book "The Professional Guide to Planning, Managing, and Providing Secure Transportation is written as one of the better answers to the question - Why do I need secure transportation? A quote from the book "It has been said, time and time again, that there are only two things in life that are a certainty, death, and taxes. While no one enjoys paying taxes, virtually everyone would rather pay them than be confronted by the other. If the right conditions are met, the Security Driver is one of the few people on the face of the earth that can reduce the Principal's risk of both! Naturally, this brings us to the other elements of the business case for having a Security Driver or Solo Practitioner supporting the Principal." Understanding the business case for Secure Transportation starts with gaining an understanding of IRS Regulation Part 132(5), which dictates the conditions under which corporations and/or their executives may be eligible for tax deductions when secure ground transportation is provided." Read full show notes here

In this week's episode of the EPST podcast, we discuss certification in Executive Protection. The podcast is provided by the International Security Driver Association. Every week we share secure transportation and executive protection headlines, news, trends, and educational content for today's practitioners. Two topics of discussion that can dominate social media are certification and the state of training in the executive protection and secure transportation industry. In reality, certification and training are inseparable. There is a need for standardization in the EP profession.

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In this week's show, we share information on electric vehicle basics and another report on the armored vehicle market and why it is important. We also share lesser-known incidents and four new books authored by ISDA members.