Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022:
The Transportation Security Administration announced recently it is reducing the fees associated with obtaining a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and a Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME). The new lower fees took effect Nov. 3.
TSA conducts security threat assessments (STAs) of applicants to these programs and collects fees from the applicants to recover its costs to conduct the vetting and credentialing. The administration said fees are impacted by several factors, such as changes in contractual services. TSA reviews its fees every two years, and upon review, if it finds that the fees collected exceed the total cost to provide the services, or do not cover the total cost for services, it must adjust the fee.
Prior to Nov. 3, the application and renewal fee for the TWIC Program was $125.25, while the reduced application fee for applicants who possess a comparable STA, such as an HME, was $105.25. The replacement card fee for lost, stolen, or damaged TWICs was $60.00.
In August, TSA implemented a new online renewal process for certain TWIC applicants, allowing permits-eligible applicants to renew their TWIC without visiting a TSA enrollment center. Online renewal will now cost $117.25, with in-person renewals or new applications remaining at $125.25.
The revised fee for an eligible reduced-fee enrollment decreased from $105.25 to $93, and the fee for a replacement card is the same at $60.
For the hazmat endorsement, the fees will remain the same for new enrollments and renewals. However, TSA is revising the fees that apply when using a comparable threat-assessment to obtain an HME. The fees for applicants with a comparable assessment was reduced from $67 to $41.
