TWIC card

not sure if you are asking about the same process i recently went through in Cali, mine is for the Haz Tanker endorsement that is an "X" on the CDL

i got mine recently using website "www.hazprints.com" (or you can call TSA and do it over the phone: 1-877-429-7746)

there is a multi-screen questionnaire that is very simple but the process has the usual bureaucratic errors and time wasters

at the end of answering the questions i paid $86.50 with credit card and received the "registration number" which is not a number but 9 letters

the website referred me to a local UES office so i went there the next day to give my fingerprints, the UES clerk did not recognize the abbreviation "CDL" but he could have been new and nervous, i guess, they said the website was not correct and they were not handling TWIC at this time, they referred me to another local office that is handling the fingerprints for TWIC

i immediately drove 30 miles to report to the second office, they took me without an appointment, there was some complication--they had to make a telephone call to verify my registration number because the website messed up my information and they could not do it with the computer--they took my prints within minutes

a week later you call another telephone number to confirm they have all they need, if everything is ok your card issues about a week later

 

The question is what will they replace it with? Too many companies and facilities have built the TWIC into their procedures and like any bureaucracy the current powers that be at the ports and other facilities will not give it up easily unless there is some type of replacement that provides the same function. Government organizations never willingly give up power. For companies and insurance companies the TWIC card is just one more firewall against a lawsuit that the plaintiff must breach before they become liable so companies and insurance companies will not be advocating for the TWIC card demise.

Case in point is the insane duplication of effort at the Port Authority of NY & NJ (PANYNJ) where I am undergoing their background checks which are TSA checks in reality just to work at an airport. So far I have had three sets of fingerprinting done in the last month for NY DMV HazMat, PANYNJ and for TWIC and the same investigatory mechanism for all is the TSA.

BTW... I just checked my TWIC card status that I enrolled on 20NOV2013 and the application has been approved and sent to card processing. So I guess I should have my card in a week to ten days unless the Thanksgiving holiday elongates the process. I'm crossing my fingers.

 

The one thing I haven't seen mentioned on here is that have to return to the original enrollment facility to pick up your completed card. A real paid for a OTR driver.

 

from the OOIDA website (we all should join)

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is required for all people, truckers included, to gain unescorted access into secure areas of U.S. port facilities. Coastal ports and inland ports such as the Great Lakes and barge terminals on inland waterways are included in this mandate. The key ingredient of the TWIC is a criminal background check and threat assessment performed on every applicant.
Implementation and oversight of this federal program fall under the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the United States Coast Guard.
TSA does not prohibit “escorted” access onto a port.
There are “for hire” services popping up around the country at various port facilities that will charge a fee to take you onto a port. However, OOIDA does not recommend that truckers depend on “for hire” services. The New York/New Jersey Port Authority has sent notices to many stakeholders informing them that “for hire” escorts will not be allowed on their property.
TSA has a Web site to help guide you through the application process. The link is:http://www.tsa.gov/twic
The Web site can be difficult to navigate, especially if you are not computer savvy.

Here are some basic helpful hints when applying for a TWIC.
Pre-enrollment is not required. However, OOIDA recommends it as pre-enrollment will likely speed up your processing time instead of waiting at an Enrollment Center for an available time slot. Pre-enroll online or telephone the TWIC Call Center. That phone number is 1-866-DHS-TWIC.
By pre-enrolling you can select a date and appointment time best suited for your schedule.
You will need to pick a single TWIC Enrollment Center for the entire process. This is because you must pick up and activate your card from the same location you enrolled with.
With few exceptions, TWIC Enrollment Centers have NO tractor-trailer parking available. You MAY be able to find parking for a bobtail but travel to the center in a car if at all possible.
To enroll, you will need the following information ready:

Name, DOB, address, contact information
Employment information
Current and previous mailing address
Height, weight, hair, and eye color
City, State, Country of birth
Alien Registration Number (if applicable)
CDL and state of application of any HME held
Social Security Number

When you arrive at the Enrollment Center, you must have appropriate documents to verify your identity. Multiple examples are available of these source documents, and the easiest acceptable means of proving your identity is an unexpired U.S. Passport or your CDL and actual Social Security card.
At the Enrollment Center, once your identity is verified and ALL required questions are answered, you will have your fingerprints taken electronically.
Payment is required next, and a TWIC costs $137.50 or $105.25 for HME or FAST card holders if gotten within the previous 12 months. The Enrollment Center will NOT accept cash or personal checks for payment. You must pay with a credit card (Visa/MasterCard), money order, certified check or corporate check.
You will be notified via phone or email when your TWICis ready. Depending upon which Enrollment Center you visit, the time lag could be either short or longer depending on the volume of applications being processed.
When you return to pick up your TWIC, an electronic fingerprint will be taken again to verify your identity. In addition, you’ll need your Personal Identification Number, which was issued at time of enrollment.
Besides your travel time to an Enrollment Center, if you use the appointment system it should not take more than 15 minutes of your time for each visit necessary to get a TWIC.

NOTE: The federal government’s new biometric ID card is now required (as of April 15, 2009) for unescorted access to all US ports. OOIDA is aware of other industries (chemical facilities sector) where as part of their over-all security plans they may require you to have a TWICin order to gain access to their property.
Also, certain ports may still require their own unique credential in addition to the TWIC. Generally the excuse given by a port in requiring their own credential is that they perform their own background check. The current (Nov.2009) Coast Guard Authorization bill in the US House of Representatives has a section that would prohibit this duplication. The language reads in part:
``(r) Redundant Background Checks.--The Secretary shall prohibit a State or political subdivision thereof from requiring a separate security background check for any purpose for which a transportation security card is issued under this section. The Secretary may waive the application of this subsection with respect to a State or political subdivision thereof if the State or political subdivision demonstrates a compelling homeland security reason that a separate security background check is necessary.''

 

I just got the automated call from UES that my TWIC card is ready. It only took 7 days. Wow! Unfortunately I can't make it over to the enrollment center until after the Monday after Thanksgiving. Definitely a lot faster than I expected.