House Bill Allows TWICs to Access Military Bases
This story appears in the June 6 print edition of Transport Topics.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a measure that would pressure the Department of Defense to let truck drivers use Transportation Worker Identification Credential cards to validate their identity for unescorted access at all of the nation’s 700 military installations.
The measure is an amendment that was included in the House version of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act passed last month. It could mitigate the sometimes cumbersome post-9/11 vetting practice that has left thousands of truckers each year waiting at military installation gates for up to three hours as they undergo security background checks — including some drivers who possess TWICs.
Installation commanders have the authority to set their own requirements for unescorted access, and some do not accept the TWIC as a sole 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 amendment, offered by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), was forwarded to the Senate as part of the NDAA. The House and Senate bills will face scrutiny by conference committee members in upcoming weeks to sort out differences.
“This is important to carriers and drivers so that we can predict the velocity of throughput at military installations so drivers don’t run out of hours of service while waiting in line — and to reduce the cost of serving the Department of Defense,” said Bill Wanamaker, executive director of American Trucking Associations’ government freight conference. “We estimate that drivers enter U.S. military installations approximately 3 million times each year.”
Wanamaker said his conference has gained the support of a broad-based coalition of motor carriers, large and small. ATA has been pounding on doors at the Pentagon for more than 15 years to resolve the problem, he said.
“We’re tired of waiting around,” Wanamaker said. “We’re hopeful the Senate will pass the Hunter amendment entirely.”
However, Wanamaker said the amendment language leaves the secretary of defense wiggle room, instructing him “to the maximum extent, ensure that the TWIC shall be accepted as a valid credential for unescorted access to Department of Defense installations by transportation workers.”
The amendment further states that any drivers with a TWIC and secret-level security clearance be exempt from “further vetting when seeking unescorted access.”
The TWIC is used to verify the identity of the person holding the credential. An individual applying for a TWIC must undergo an FBI and Interpol criminal background check and terrorist watch list check, Wanamaker said.
He added, “It doesn’t say that they are fit for entrance, only that they are who they say they are.”
In addition to possessing a TWIC, drivers need to demonstrate they have business on the installation by showing a bill of lading or other appropriate document.
Scott Michael, CEO of the American Moving & Storage Association, said he understands the need for security at installations but that his members sometimes face up to four-hour delays due to a lack of consistent vetting standards.
About 25% of AMSA members’ interstate shipments are for U.S. military families, many who live on base, Michael told Transport Topics. “Our guys are less-than-truckload in almost every move, so they’re picking up three or four shipments at a time.”
He added, “They are facing the same kinds of obstacles that the general freight trucks are. They’re waiting in the same lines, they’re fighting the same credential problems and having the same challenges in being able to get into the facilities.”
Richard Langer, president of Quetica, a transportation information technology firm that contracts with DOD, said that identification and security standards for getting on an installation vary by service and by the commander managing an installation.
“But most commanders, if given the choice, will always take the highest level of security, because there is no upside to a lower level of security. There is no installation commander who would rather have a truck blow up on their installation on their watch,” Langer told TT.
But even if the TWIC requirement becomes law, even after a driver’s identity is verified, there may be additional standards for security screening or inspection of a shipment, Langer said.
“If you’re sitting in line, it could be anywhere from an hour, 10 or 12 hours or even overnight,” he said. “The delays are significant and a real problem.”
