Beware: Don’t screw up on your password and get your account locked. I had to stay on hold for half an hour before I could talk to someone to get it reset.
<DIV>Interesting that you say that <span class=mark id=misspell-0>CMA</span>…I just tried to log in to check on the status of my card (for fun), and it says “We could not locate your enrollment.” I just called them but of course no service on Saturday, so I guess I’ll call them on Monday and see what the hell is going on. <br><br>Side note though - a colleague of mine applied for his a week after I did, and got his notification that his is now ready on Thursday. Meanwhile, I’ve heard nothing. I wonder if they give preference depending on your license level? He’s got an Unlimited Masters…</DIV>
We just taped a special TWIC episode of our MAIS <a target="_blank" href=“http://messingaboutinships.com/]Maritime Podcast, you can listen to it here:<br><br><a title=“TWIC Podcast” target=”_blank" href="http://messingaboutinships.com/2008/03/30/messing-about-in-ships-podcast-episode-17-twic/]Messing About In Ships Podcast Episode #17 - TWIC
I just found this via Doug’s Red Right Returning blog:<br><div>Doug’s TWIC Page</div><br><div>Good Stuff!</div>
Well, false alarm - it turns out I couldn’t get onto the system because my status was changing - my card is now ready. Of course, there are no appointments available in Manhattan until the end of April, so I’ll just have to go sit and wait…
I just checked it, and it says that I’m not even enrolled yet, funny seeing as how I have the receipt from enrollment three weeks ago. So I called the number, waited 30 min on hold, gave my info, she gave me a ticket #(whatever that is). She then transferred me to the help desk, waited on hold nearly an hour and gave up. I understand that the website is probably wrong but if they are going to rely on that for customer service then they need to get it right. Of course everyone told them this whole thing is going to be some kind of a red a$$ no matter what.
We finally got around to mapping all the TWIC Enrollment Centers on a google map [TAKE A LOOK.<br><div><br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105619923956236697589.00044a00d67663ceb0186&ll=47.040182,-114.257812&spn=120.340863,274.570313&z=2]<img alt=“TWIC Map” title=“TWIC Map” src=“http://gcaptain.com/maritime/forum/extensions/YUIEditor/img/11207255944.jpg]](http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/twic-enrollemnt-locations-google-map/” title="TWIC Enrollment Centers - MAP)<br></div>
I applied for my TWIC card back in February. I am still waiting for it. I was told from a classmate of mine that they call or email you when it is time to pick it up. Either way I have heard nothing since I applied. I know the waiting time is between 4-6 weeks. But with summer around the corner and commercial cruise comming up Im starting to get a little bit nervous. How long did it take some of you to get your TWIC cards?
Dickinson - I would say that if it would make you feel better, call, or stop by the TWIC Enrollment Center, and ask the status of your card. I’m not sure where you are, or where you enrolled, but most centers don’t mind you stopping by to check, as long as you don’t make a pest of yourself. Also, if you still have your log on info, you can jump online and check the status.<br><br>I did my card back towards the end of December, and the turn around was only 3 weeks. I can categorically tell you that that has gotten much longer, now that everyone is coming out of the woodwork to apply.<br><br>Tell us where you are, and we’ll see if we can steer you in the right direction for an answer.<br><br>Cheers…
Dickinson,<br>When I applied for mine last month, (Tacoma), they told me 3 months wait. You shouldn’t even need the TWIC until 25 Sep '08, but I know you may just want a warm fuzzy feeling that it hasn’t gone missing.
Dickinson - try this link, and type in your specifics.<br><br><a title=“TWIC Status Check” target="_blank" href="https://twicprogram.tsa.dhs.gov/TWICWebApp/StatusCheckPrep.do]https://twicprogram.tsa.dhs.gov/TWICWebApp/StatusCheckPrep.do<br><br>Hopefully you’ve already found it, but for those that haven’t you should be able to see where you are in the process.<br><br>Latest Stats:
<br><br>
Total # Pre-Enrolled<span style="font-weight: bold;] - </span><strong>280,903</strong><center>
</center>
Total # Enrolled<span style="font-weight: bold;] - </span><strong>207,108</strong><center>
</center>
Total # Cards Issued<span style="font-weight: bold;] - </span><strong>52,534</strong><center>
</center><br>Almost 500k either pre-enrolled, or enrolled, and only 1/9th of those have cards issued.<br><br>NICE!!!
Thanks for the site. I applied in Oakland California. Thanks for the help.
Started my count down today. Being pre enrolled the entire process of answering the questionaire, paying and getting fingers scanned took 20 minutes from the time I walked into the office until I walked out. The lady said they were instructed to tell people it was currently taking 6 weeks but thus far her experience was your card was back in 4 weeks.<br>TEngineer
I got an email from TWIC today to pick up my card in Tacoma. They had said 3 months but it onlt took 6 weeks.
Hey John it’s Bobby,<br><br>Sean, Frank, and Morris were trying to pick up their cards from the Martinez center today. The problem is that since it’s Shell’s refinery that’s paying for the center and since it’s so busy their people were having trouble gettting appointments. As a result they decided that only Shell people were going to be allowed to enroll/pickup their card there. I guess their cards got there and they sent them in a box of other cards down to the Oakland center. All of their TWIC profiles still say that tehy’re in Martinez. Sounds like there’s not much accountablity (I wasn’t impressed with the professionalism of the employees when I went there, they were talking about gangs and the night before). So basically I guess it’s just one big charlie foxtrot. <br><br>We spent an hour trying to find the phone number for the Oakland center (there’s two of them on the map) but it wasn’t anywhere on the TSA website and the customer service wait time on the phone was saying greater than half an hour. Anyways talk to them and figure out what’s going on. I guess the only port that (sorta) has TWIC online is Baltimor since that’s their pilot program. Since you’re going on Edison Choest in the gulf I don’t think you’ll need it unless the company wants it.
Guess Iowa isn’t a very important State too these people. So now making a application for MSC is put on hold. At least for awhile longer.
I finally figured out my status, it had been showing that I was not pre-enrolled. The trick is that if you go online and make an appointment it gives you one applicant ID, however when you actually go in to enroll the may give you a different applicant ID. In my case I did a walk-in a week before my appointment. Now if you didn’t write down either ID you have to login to find out what your ID is then feed that into the system to get your status. And in my case the ID the website showed was the one for the appointment that I didn’t actually go to.<br>After 3 calls to the TWIC hotline the operator finally figured it out and gave me the correct ID. Oh <br>and my card has been ready, yet no phone call or anything. Oh well
Hey does anyone know the average wait times at the regional TWIC centers?
Seattle-Tacoma (Fife) turnaround time 3 weeks.<br><br>I was pre-enrolled, made appointment online, but the schedule was full for a month! <br>The website says you can drop-in, but highly recommends you make appointment online “to avoid long lines”.<br>Since I was in the neighborhood, I gave a drop-in a try. <br>The most difficult part was finding the damn place in the warehouse park! I circled the building four times in my rig, and it wasnt until I parked, got out and walked that I saw the tiny “TWIC” sign taped to the door!<br>Signed in right before lunch break, Drove down the street grabbed a burger, returned, first one called after lunch. about a 15-20 min process. The “long lines” consisted of 4 other guys behind me, mostly asking about info. 2 processing “offices” (ok, a card table, a laptop computer, a finger-scanner, and a cheap digital camera)<br>My advice, dont bother making an appointment. Bring your required IDs. Just drop in. But your milage may vary.<br><br>Oh yah, DO NOT punch a hole in your card! It invalidates it! I guess some guys want to put their card on a badge necklace or on a keychain. Not a good idea unless its one of those plastic pouches.<br><br>To answer another question, this is nothing like a passport, and if you go through security at the airport with this you will just get a funny look they have no idea what it is. It is security clearance to enter a seaport facility, or warehouse area as I understand it. Yes, I know airports are high security ports as well, it doesnt make sense to me either. I was hoping it would help me avoid long lines and cavity search threats from my US Customs and Immigration too, but I guess the answer is NO. (meanwhile the stinky goat-farmer you rode next to on the plane from some 3rd world country goes unchallenged…)<br><br>My gripe about this whole “Homeland Security” thing, is that it was all started because some terrorists flew some planes into some buildings after recieving jet pilot training and no background check. Do you think airline pilots are required to get a TWIC? NO! What kind of logic is that?<br><br>Also, because we are Merchant Mariners, weve already had a background check. Why do we need to add more to our gauntlet of paperwork and documents we already need? We have to pay $100.00+ just to keep our job and prove our innocence A SECOND TIME?<br>Why doesnt the government foot the bill for this? because if they tried to waive merchant mariners from this, they can always argue that the program is self-supporting. They make too much money by requiring more regulations. LOCKHEED MARTIN got this sweet deal… (an aerospace company by the way…)<br><br>
17 weeks so far site says card in production…