The Transportation Security Administration began testing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program

at the Port of Long Beach Container Terminal.
The test will expand to 34 sites in six states and will last seven months.
The TWIC is a tamper-resistant credential that contains biometric information about the holder -- a fingerprint, a handprint or an iris scan of the eye -- so that lost or stolen cards cannot be used by anyone else. Transportation facilities can verify identity and prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing secure areas.
The program will eventually require background checks and identification cards for 6 million truck drivers, dock workers and cargo handlers at U.S. ports, airports and railways.
“TWIC is a significant enhancement that will prevent terrorists and other unauthorized persons from gaining access to sensitive areas of the nation’s transportation system,” said Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson. “Developing the prototype for this new technology is another step in TSA’s continuing effort to enhance security in all modes of transportation.”
Soon workers at three other sites will receive TWICs. These sites include the Philadelphia Maritime Exchange in Pennsylvania, as well as the Port of Pensacola and Port Canaveral in Florida. In the weeks following, up to 200,000 workers from maritime, rail, aviation and ground modes of transportation are expected to participate.
Once the test is complete, TSA will analyze the results to determine how the program will be implemented.