WASHINGTON — Mandatory adoption of the U.S. Transportation Worker Identity Card (TWIC) has been pushed back yet again.

Transportation Security Administration says the card will be mandatory in April 2009 — up seven months from the previous deadline of Sept. 25, 2008.

However, ports in New England — including the Port of Boston, and Northern and Southeastern New England — will require the card this Oct. 15, 2008.

To be cleared for TWIC, truckers, longshoremen, or other workers who need unescorted access at U.S. ports must undergo biometric security background checks.

The TSA commented in a press release that New England is an ideal location to roll out the program because of “geographic proximity, the size of their TWIC enrollment population, and respective enrollment efforts to date.”

Thanks to lobbying by the Canadian Trucking Alliance, FAST-approved Canadian truckers who access U.S. ports won’t have to undergo a background check, but must still fork over $105.25 to obtain the card.

CTA says it will continue to pressure officials to eliminate the card application fee for drivers with FAST cards.

It’s been stated by U.S. officials that TWIC could eventually extend beyond ports to other “safety sensitive” areas within the transportation industry.