Transportation Worker Identification Credentials
Truckers who pick up freight at ports around the country will soon have a new card to carry. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) will be mandatory for any person requiring unescorted access to any secure areas of Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) regulated facilities. That means, you’ll need the TWIC “smart card” to get into maritime ports around the country.
To get a TWIC, you must provide biographic and biometric information such as fingerprints, sit for a digital photograph and successfully pass a security threat assessment (background check) conducted by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). If you already have your hazardous materials endorsement on your CDL, the background check you already took for your hazmat endorsement will apply. You shouldn’t need another background check. This will qualify you for a reduced enrollment fee.
Which brings us to the cost for drivers. You’ll have to pay $132.50 to get your TWIC smart card. If you already have a qualifying background check (the background check for your hazmat endorsement), You’ll only pay $105.25. The card is valid for 5 years from the date of the background check. Meaning, if you already have your hazmat endorsement, the card will be valid for five years from the date your took your background check. If you don’t already have your hazmat endorsement, the card is valid for 5 years from the date of the TWIC background check. The TSA suggests that drivers who had a qualifying background check performed within the 12 months prior to applying for their TWIC pay the reduced fee. If your background check was more than 12 moths prior, they suggest paying the full $132.50 so that you will have a full 5 years before needing to renew.
You’ll need to pay by Visa/Mastercard, money order or cashier’s check- made payable to Lockheed Martin.
And don’t loose your credentials. A replacement card will cost you $60.
The Smart Card will be issued by the TSA. It will have the holder’s photo and fingerprint and a small computer chip in a tamper-proof ID badge. All truckers who need access to the ports will have to have their TWIC in place by September 2008. Enrollment is being phased in around the country to ensure a smooth transition. Enrollment stared back on October 16th for the Port of Delaware. Ports that already have active enrollment are the ports of Delaware, Corpus Christi (TX), Baton Rouge (LA), Honolulu (HI), Tacoma (WA), Beaumont (TX), Oakland (CA), Houston (TX), Providence(RI), Chicago/Calumet (IL), Port Arthur (TX), Savannah (GA), Dundalk/Baltimore (MD), Lake Charles (LA), Minneapolis (MN), St. Paul (MN).
TWIC is coming soon to the ports of:
Charleston (SC)- November 28th
Cleveland (OH), Detroit (MI), Port Fourchon (LA)- November 29th
Boston (MA)- November 30th
Brownsville (TX), Mobile (AL)- December 5th
Brunswick (GA), Milwauke (WI)- December 12th
Philadelphia (PA)- December 13th
In addition to truckers, port employees, merchant mariners and longshoremen will have to have TWIC cards. The TSA estimates that a million people will have the credentials by the time the program goes into effect.
For more information about the TWIC program, go to the Homeland Security website or call 1-866-DHS-TWIC (1-866-347-8942).
