Runners & Rides Coordination
How to move people, supplies, and information securely.
Runners & Rides Coordination
Info
In urgent situations, the ability to move people, gear, and info safely is essential. This guide covers how to coordinate runners and rides within decentralized response systems.
Who Are Runners?
Runners are trusted individuals who physically carry items or information when digital communication isn’t safe or feasible.
Used for:
- Delivering court documents, flyers, or warrants
- Transporting sensitive tools (burners, jammers)
- Verbal relays between field units
Warning
Runners operate under high surveillance risk. Their routes and payloads must be intentional, anonymous, and need-to-know only.
What Is a Rides Role?
Rides coordination organizes safe transport for:
- Exiting hot zones
- Gear drops and food runs
- Community members needing help (elders, children)
Rides must balance urgency, safety, discretion, and logistics.
Safety Protocols for Runners
- Never carry or use personal phones
- Use drop points, not homes
- Avoid predictable paths or backtracking
- Seal documents with tape or tamper-evident tools
- Use pre-agreed, realistic cover stories
Example: “Dropping off groceries for a sick friend.”
If a Handoff is Compromised
🛑 Stop the mission. Do not complete handoff.
Follow these protocols:
- Divert to a safe neutral location
- Send a subtle abort signal (e.g., hat backward, change of pace)
- Destroy sensitive paper if needed (water bottle + tearing, burn-safe pouch)
- Do not communicate details via phone unless secure
- Report incident for debrief and flag route as compromised
When to Use a Runner (Flowchart)
Is the information sensitive if intercepted?
↳ Yes
Is there any safe digital channel?
↳ Yes → Use digital, but document fallback plan.
↳ No
Is the route low surveillance or can be masked?
↳ Yes → Assign a runner with secure protocol.
↳ No → Delay or reroute mission. Do not proceed.
Rides Best Practices
- Burner phones only for coordination
- Pre-stage fuel, maps, and basic supplies
- Drivers don’t ask names or details
- Vary vehicles, routes, and pickup points
- Confirm dropoff site is neutral and safe
Coordinating Rides
Rides leads must:
- Stay calm under pressure
- Know fallback options and risk factors
- Validate identity indirectly
- Cancel or reroute quickly if needed
Warning
Never use your personal phone, vehicle, or real name if avoidable.
What to Keep in a Ride Kit
- First-aid kit
- Water/snacks
- Mask, gloves
- Cash or gas card
- Paper instructions (no names)
- Walkie-talkie or offline device
Debrief and Emotional Care
Even “quiet” runs carry stress:
- Debrief within 5–10 minutes of completion
- Check for signs of burnout or paranoia
- Keep peer check-ins confidential and supportive
Glossary
Burner Phone – A prepaid phone used temporarily and anonymously.
Tamper-evident – Packaging or tools that show signs if accessed.
Air-gapped Device – A computer not connected to the internet or any network.
Cover Story – A believable, non-suspicious explanation for being in a place.
Abort Signal – Pre-arranged gesture indicating danger or mission compromise.
Rabbit Hole
🚗 Study the History of the Underground Railroad Understand the lineage of clandestine transportation systems. → Read: "Bound for Canaan" by Fergus Bordewich
Rabbit Hole
📦 Build a No-Name Ride Kit Experiment with tamper-evident packaging and zero-knowledge handoffs. → Project: Try to prepare a document transport run with no electronics
Summary
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Runners | Secure document/info transport |
| Drivers | Anonymous people/gear transport |
| Coordinators | Real-time safety, dispatch, fallback |
Ready to Certify?
If you understand the responsibilities and procedures involved in safe and secure runners & rides coordination, you may proceed to the certification test below.
📘 Knowledge Check
When is it safest to use a runner instead of digital communication?
Rideshare drivers should always know the names of the people they are transporting.
Which of the following are valid reasons to cancel a planned ride or runner route?
What items should be in a ride coordination kit?
You’re the route captain for a sensitive handoff of documents. Mid-route, the runner notices an unmarked car following them for several blocks. What’s the best immediate step?
Emotional decompression is important even if a runner or driver didn’t experience anything visibly traumatic.
What is one method of confirming a successful handoff without exposing names or sensitive content?
Which runner cover story is most effective if questioned?
How might a runner nonverbally signal a handoff is compromised?
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