WASHINGTON, (Nov. 18, 2004) — The U.S. has kicked into high gear the testing of a high-tech ID system for transportation workers and hopes to have 200,000 people in the program by next June.

Testing of the biometric identification cards — known as the “Transportation Worker Identity Credential” (TWIC) — is now being expanded to the Port of Long Beach, Calif. container terminal. Over the next seven months it will expand to 34 sites in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and California, says the Transportation Security Administration.

The TWIC card will be issued to transportation workers who access “sensitive” facilities such as all U.S. seaports, airports, railroads, energy facilities and trucking companies. TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser said the current test phase is designed to figure out how to run a nationwide credentialing system. Participation is voluntary.

The TSA hopes to eventually extend the program to workers in all modes of transportation, which could encompass as many as 6 million people.

Under the current plan, Canadian drivers who haul in and out of such facilities would also need to get the card. But, not only is there presently no mechanism for Canadian truck drivers to even apply for a TWIC card, Canadian cross-border drivers already undergo similar extensive background checks in order to qualify for Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has expressed such concerns in the past, and has been in discussions with U.S. Homeland Security officials over the last year about the possibility of dovetailing FAST into the TWIC system. While no announcement has been made yet, the feedback has been generally positive, CTA says.

— with files from Associated Press