Priorities

You may or may not need any of them, depending on where you work and run. However, I would go with the hazmat first since you can get a discount on the TWIC if you already have a hazmat endorsement. Lastly, the passport if you actually plan on traveling outside the country. You might be able to get a fast card in lieu of the passport. Many people don't need any of them.

 

Agreed; that's the way I would do it.

 

Unfortunately, Commuter69, the inmates have taken control over the asylum. When I first applied for my TWIC, it took about a week or two. When I renewed this year it was over 2 months. Go figure. They said that it was because some of the cards were first sent without the fingerprints or some other nonsense. I think it may have had something to do with the feds changing from one company to another during that time. I figured that I would have had my new card in a week or so, especially since I had a current TWIC. It is supposed to take from 1 to 6 weeks for hazmat. It depends on how busy the office where you apply is at the time. I think the last time I checked on a passport they said to allow 4-6 weeks. One would think that once you have a background check with any of these that it would be fine for the others, especially since it is the same company doing the TWIC and hazmat background checks. At least it was the same company doing both when I first applied. It is all about the money. There should be no need for either of these background checks. Before some genius came up with this idea, we could go to any port, military base or other secure site and they could do a background check by running your drivers license or social security number.

 

It all depends on your local processing center. TWIC/HazMat pre screening just upgraded their systems. I went on the 10th of September for both at 10 am and when I got back home I checked on the computer and it was already approved. So I was told at the center it all depends on how fast the office is that processes your information and the service center printing your TWIC ID as well as if anything pops up at all. Myself I have a very clean record, DOD Secret security clearance, and just got out of the Army last year after 7 years and all of my stuff was approved within hours.

She did say that some will have to be reviewed by personnel rather than the computer just screening and approving, so if anything at all pops, you could be put in a line to have your information reviewed by a worker causing it to be about a 2-3 week review. The HazMat letter came in the mail within 2 weeks. My TWIC card was in the mail within about a week and the pin for it 3 days later.

Just need to call your local service processing center and see what their average return time is on their TWIC cards. It also depends on if you have it sent to your house or have it sent to the service center. I had mine sent to my house.

 

OMG,

Get the thing you would use the most, Hazmat endorsement. This is part of your license and the easiest to get.

The second is a passport. I don't know about the card thing but I do know if you want to go somewhere other than Canada/Mexico, the card will not work for you.

THEN with your finger prints from your hazmat background check, go get the twic card.

The reason for this is ...

the hazmat endorsement is something added to your license, and if you do it after you get a cdl, you will pay extra for it.

The passport unlike the other two is renewable every 10 years, and is cheap to begin with. BUT the thing about that is you will be able to use it for more than trucking.

The twic card is pretty much a joke, it is the same type of check with hazmat background check but more money for the vendor who administers it and the feds.

 

You can not use the finger prints that you used for your hazmat for your TWIC... lol.

Everything is done digitally now. You have to make 2 separate appointments with 2 separate payments for TWIC/HazMat. If you fill everything out online ahead of time, all you have to do is answer a couple questions and have your fingers scanned, if you wait until you get there, it could be about a 30 minutes process with the questionnaire.

The HazMat is 86.50 and the TWIC was (if I remember right) about 126 or so.

 

Yes you can, I just did that a month ago. The stupidest dumbest thing about the TWIC/Hazmat process is it is state dependent, maybe one state won't allow it but others will.

So I was asked when I did the "paperwork" if I had my finger prints taken for my hazmat, and I said yes and she said ok we'll use those - she said they are good for five years which makes no sense at all.

I paid I think $67 for my TWIC processing, there was a discount for both the "threat assessment" and the fingerprints parts because they are using the same system and I'm in it.

Now my FAST card is a bit different, I got fingerprinted a couple weeks ago and asked then if they would use the hazmat prints and he said "nope".

I have no clue why I was required to get a TWIC card, it was a company thing, I get access to the Airports and ports anyway. I think that a person who has a hazmat should have the same clearance as if they had a twic.

 

I just did it a month ago as well. September 10th here in Savannah, GA. SO I see that you went through a low standard facility. I was informed here at the Savannah processing office that all branches were being updated and mandated to update their equipment to all of the fingerprint scanners rather than accepting the finger print cards anymore.

What office did they make you bring in a paper fingerprint card at?