Twic Card And Program Just More To Lump On

[Bill Babler]

As of 3 yrs. ago all of us Merchant Mariners along with any DOT or Commercial hauler or any person that has a commercial transportation business had to get a TWIC Transportation Workers Identification Card. This card is very much like a passport. To receive it you have to have a background check done. Need a birth certificate, SS card and a photo ID. You then have to go to one of the centers to have your paper work gone over and be Photoed and finger printed. Our centers are in Tulsa, Little Rock, Alton Illinois and Memphis.

After the first visit you have to return and when you pick up your card you will be photo ided. again and also fingerprinted again.

The card is now $169.27 Plus the travel expense for both trips.

Here is the deal. This is US Governent. There was only 1 person working in Tulsa. I visited with her a bit while she tried to keep the 3 yr. old equipment working as she said it was complete worn out and her superiors said there was no budget to replace worn out computers, photo equipment, phones, and fingerprint machine.

When the office first opened 3 yrs. ago, there were 4 government employees working the office. A reception person that did the scheduling and helped facilitate the paper work and 3 TWIC officers that did the reviews and client interviews and did all the fingerprinting and computer work. Thru attrition she is the only one left and must run the entire office as there is no funds to hire any more employees. She is on the last of the 3 original fingerprint machines as 2 as to are broken and she has just been able to cabbage stuff together from the empty offices of her former mates that are no longer there. She said she has had to learn to fix phones, computers and any machinery or to blend parts of broken machinery to make something that will work as the government has no money for replacement or repair.

Here is the deal. This office does between 40 and 60 TWIC appointments per day everyday that the government works. She said a normal day is between 7 and 10 thousand in TWIC,

Folks, that is 25 to 40 thousand dollars a week coming into this small office in Tulsa that one employee is doing. Where in the FRIG is that kind of money going???

I told her she was making to much money and she said if I was closer she would slap me.

We are having trouble keeping a park open and one little small office in Tulsa is grossing 1.25 super large per year. Kind of hard to understand.

[dtrs5kprs]

As of 3 yrs. ago all of us Merchant Mariners along with any DOT or Commercial hauler or any person that has a commercial transportation business had to get a TWIC Transportation Workers Identification Card. This card is very much like a passport. To receive it you have to have a background check done. Need a birth certificate, SS card and a photo ID. You then have to go to one of the centers to have your paper work gone over and be Photoed and finger printed. Our centers are in Tulsa, Little Rock, Alton Illinois and Memphis.

After the first visit you have to return and when you pick up your card you will be photo ided. again and also fingerprinted again.

The card is now $169.27 Plus the travel expense for both trips.

Here is the deal. This is US Governent. There was only 1 person working in Tulsa. I visited with her a bit while she tried to keep the 3 yr. old equipment working as she said it was complete worn out and her superiors said there was no budget to replace worn out computers, photo equipment, phones, and fingerprint machine.

When the office first opened 3 yrs. ago, there were 4 government employees working the office. A reception person that did the scheduling and helped facilitate the paper work and 3 TWIC officers that did the reviews and client interviews and did all the fingerprinting and computer work. Thru attrition she is the only one left and must run the entire office as there is no funds to hire any more employees. She is on the last of the 3 original fingerprint machines as 2 as to are broken and she has just been able to cabbage stuff together from the empty offices of her former mates that are no longer there. She said she has had to learn to fix phones, computers and any machinery or to blend parts of broken machinery to make something that will work as the government has no money for replacement or repair.

Here is the deal. This office does between 40 and 60 TWIC appointments per day everyday that the government works. She said a normal day is between 7 and 10 thousand in TWIC,

Folks, that is 25 to 40 thousand dollars a week coming into this small office in Tulsa that one employee is doing. Where in the FRIG is that kind of money going???

I told her she was making to much money and she said if I was closer she would slap me.

We are having trouble keeping a park open and one little small office in Tulsa is grossing 1.25 super large per year. Kind of hard to understand.

Nailed it. Addicted to taking our money and wasting it to the benefit of no one.

[denjac]

I had heard rumblings they were going to do away with the twic requirement for you inland mariners. Guess not.

[Bill Babler]

This program has to be a complete bell cow for the Government. I'm guessing several hundred million per year nation wide.

Spoke to Denny a minute ago and I bet trying to trace this money would be like trying to trace a Columbian Drug Lord laundered cocaine money. I bet it would be impossible to even get close into knowing where this goes thru this fund and that fund and this hand and that hand.

Just Unreal

[fishinwrench]

I thought you only needed it the first time you get your captains license, then upon renewal it wasn't required.

Is that not the case ?

[denjac]

[fishinwrench]

This is what I'm going off of....

Coast Guard Policy Letter No. 11-15 sent out on December 23rd clarified the “new” TWIC policy. “… mariners not serving on vessels required to have a Vessel Security Plan are exempt from the requirement to hold a valid TWIC. However, … the mariner must have completed the TWIC process at least one time… in order for the Coast Guard to process a credential application for a mariner who is not in possession of a valid TWIC the mariner must submit a statement indicating an understanding of the possible delays associated with processing the safety and suitability check and verifying that they do not require a TWIC…”

In plain English, that means that 6-PAK operators, including fishing guides, do not have to renew their TWIC in order to renew their license.

Captain Paul McElroy has been involved in licensing regulations for thirty years. He can be reached at MTALLPAUL@AOL.COM or (772) 288-1066.

[Bill Babler]

I thought you only needed it the first time you get your captains license, then upon renewal it wasn't required.

Is that not the case ?

/quote]

That is not the case. It has to be renewed just like any lic. I believe Phil just had his renewed last Fall also. Best not to let it expire as your paper work is erased from the data base and you have to start the process over. You can do the paper work on line but you have to be present to apply and pick it up.

[Bill Babler]

What I'm going on is what they told me at the USCG Western Rivers Headquarters at St. Louis Missouri. Any and all Marne Mariners that carry any grade shall have on their person a TWIC card when they are caring persons for hire or operating commercial vessels on navigatable waters of the United States.

Talked to them day before yesterday.

When I went into the TWIC office I mentioned your argument to her. She said who scheduled your appointment with me to renew your card. I said the USCG out of St. Louis. She said. "There you go." Said she had heard nothing about not having the TWIC in place for 6 pack renewels.

Phil just had his renewed in Alton Il. in September, so if we don't need it, someone better tell the USCG in St. Louis and also the TWIC persons.

[Bill Babler]

My concern, is where is all this Dough going?