TWIC rolls out

A TWIC ID card will be issued to people after a criminal records check and national security database check.MTC executive vice president Steven Lautsch says that TWIC’s initial phase should not affect MTC’s operations as all personnel are already required to show some form of ID and this will simply be a case of replacing that form of ID with another.

However, he says there is concern that the technology for the planned card readers will work well enough.

“We don’t want longshoremen and truckers waiting in long lines, delaying their ability to get on to the terminal and do the business of the port,” he says. “We fully support efforts to make ports safe and secure. By ensuring that only properly qualified people have access to the facilities, the TWIC programme can accomplish that goal. But the test phase will be critical to ensuring that the technology is able to achieve the goal of port security while keeping those ports open for business.”

Tacoma will be one of the first ports to implement TWIC and executive director Tim Farrell says this should not pose any problems. “The biggest concern we have seen industry-wide about this programme is that it may disqualify some truck drivers either because they have a criminal record or perhaps because they are not US citizens,” he says. “Ports heavily dependent on the trucking industry could face a significant challenge. But with our high level of rail activity we are not expecting to see any negative impact, so from that standpoint I think we will be in good shape.

“Also, we have had identification cards at Tacoma for people coming in and out for almost ten years, so our workforce is accustomed to meeting that kind of requirement. Our greatest concern would be that the federal government and its contractors implement this programme in an efficient and smooth way.”

TWIC is expected at Long Beach shortly and port spokesman Art Wong warns: “This could mean a shortage of drivers unless salaries are increased.”