WASHINGTON — The American Trucking Associations likes the actions by a House subcommittee to narrow the application of fingerprint-based screening requirements to drivers who transport security-sensitive materials.

The SAFE Truckers Act (H.R. 5604) as approved by the Economic, Security, Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity Subcommittee, would differentiate between hazardous materials that pose a significant risk to homeland security and hazardous materials, such as paint, nail polish, perfume, and soft drink syrup, that do not.

Carrier and O-O groups on both sides of the border
battle to reduce redundancy in hazmat security

Today, drivers transporting all types of hazardous materials in threshold quantities must undergo an onerous and expensive fingerprint-based background check. Under the SAFE Truckers Act, only drivers transporting security sensitive hazardous materials would be subject to fingerprint-based screening. Drivers transporting non-security sensitive hazardous materials still would be subject to a name-based check against terrorist and intelligence-related databases.

The bi-partisan bill is sponsored by Subcommittee Chairman Dan Lungren (R-CA) and Ranking Member Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), and eight other members of the Homeland Security Committee.

“Not all hazardous materials pose a risk to homeland security,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “This measure appropriately balances national security needs without unnecessarily burdening drivers and the movement of commerce.”

The Subcommittee also adopted an amendment based on separate legislation to limit the cost of the security sensitive hazmat permit if the driver already has been screened under the existing security assessment program.

The Subcommittee rejected an amendment also opposed by ATA that would have required pre-trip routing notifications, tracking requirements, communication systems and extra training requirements.

Last week, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also applauded the bill, which caps the amount professional truck drivers can be charged for the Hazardous Material Endorsement (HME) at $50 per individual.

The legislation also stipulates that professional drivers who have already undergone background checks to receive an HME will not be subject to an additional check to receive a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card — mandated for drivers who access “security sensitive” areas like ports or power plants — or be required to pay the about $105 to $139 fee for this additional check.

The existing driver background check took effect for all individuals seeking or renewing a hazardous materials endorsement on May 31, 2005, and is hurting the trucking industry by deterring drivers from obtaining hazardous materials endorsements, says ATA.

In Canada, the Canadian Trucking Alliance says it’s confident U.S. authorities will finally agree to accept the FAST card as a substitute for hazardous material background checks required for U.S. operations.