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The Transportation Worker Identification Credential
The Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Keeping our borders secure is an important part of protecting the US from terrorism and other potential disasters. In 2007, the US Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration developed a new measure to make sure authorized workers were the only ones with access to our country’s major ports. Beginning in April 2009, anyone who wants access to ports controlled by the TSA will need a transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) card.
This requirement applies to anyone who works at ports and shipyards regulated by TSA, including mariners, long shore workers, and truck drivers. If you or your employees are truckers who transport cargo to or from docks, you need to know whether or not TWIC cards are required for you.
Who Qualifies for a TWIC Card?
TWIC cards are issued to anyone who needs access to major ports and who meets the requirements spelled out in the MTSA (Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002). These requirements include:
- US citizenship, green card, or permission to work in the US
- No prior convictions of espionage, terrorism, murder, bomb threats, or other major offenses at any point
- No prior convictions of illegal immigration, most types of fraud, bribery, smuggling, or certain other offenses within the last seven years
- Mental competence
If a trucker meets these qualifications, he or she will be issued a TWIC identification card including his or her photograph, fingerprints, and the card’s expiration date. People who are denied cards based on prior convictions or concerns about their qualifications are allowed to appeal. If you need TWIC authorization to perform your job, it is very important to research the requirements – for your own financial interests as well as our nation’s security.
Contact a Trucking Factor
Operating a freight hauling business will involve many challenges and complications; waiting for late payments from customers should not be one of them. To learn about freight factoring and how it can help your business, contact TBS Factoring Services, LLC at 1-800-207-7661.
