Defense Bill to Allow Drivers to Use TWIC Cards as ID at Military Bases
The legislation, expected to be signed soon by President Obama, will mitigate the frequently cumbersome post-9/11 security process. Each year, thousands of truckers have been left waiting at military installation gates for three or more hours as they undergo identity and security background checks — even drivers who possess TWICs, said Bill Wanamaker, executive director of American Trucking Associations’ Government Freight Conference.
Wanamaker estimates that truckers seek entrance to military facilities 3 million times a year. The long wait times can result in reduced productivity and lost wages for drivers and motor carriers.
Wanamaker said the 3,000-page bill will not qualify truck drivers to enter a military facility, but it will validate their identity.
“This is a major step to compel the DOD to accept the TWIC tor identity proofing,” Wanamaker said.
At present, installation commanders have the authority to set their own requirements for unescorted access, and some have not accepted the TWIC as a singular identification credential.
The TWIC card is a secure and tamper-resistant “smart” card identification credential with features such as an integrated circuit chip, digital certificates and biometric identifiers. It was mandated by Congress in 2002 and originally intended to enhance security at seaports.
The NDAA says the secretary of defense, while he is developing and fielding physical access standards, capabilities, processes and electronic access control systems, “shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the Transportation Worker Identification Credential shall be accepted as a valid credential for unescorted access to Department of Defense installations by transportation workers."
The legislation also notes that TWIC-carrying workers who also have a current DOD secret level clearance “shall be considered exempt from further vetting when seeking unescorted access at DOD facilities.”
The bill does not say precisely how soon DOD should accept the TWIC.
The legislation does not change a requirement that military facilities also should perform a background check on truckers with TWICs.
However, Wanamaker said DOD has told ATA that by the end of December, it will have a sophisticated electronic system 70% in place to quickly vet truckers entering military gates against U.S. and INTERPOL criminal records, warrants and the national terrorist watch list.
The system will be 100% ready by the end of 2020, Wanamaker said.
