TWIC or not?

Looking to see if anyone has run into TWIC snafu’s associated with the meltdown/info lost problem at TWIC HQ? On the Lakes, a TWIC is a visual ID and I have not seen a reader/card swipe yet. Any way of finding out if they work or need to be replaced? Thanks in advance and this is the BEST SITE for mariners ever!

I have yet to use a card reader.

Apparently the MSO office in Duluth has one. An employee of the Madeline Island Ferry Line mentioned that the USCG brought it over to try it out on the MIFL employees’ cards.

believe sometime last year they had a "computer glitch and “lost data”…isn’t technology wonderful…don’t believe they bothered or could notifly those affected…imagine there are quite a few cards “out of order”…went ahead and had mine reissued in person as I couldn’t locate my original pin#…was assured in the twic office that the new one is “good”…haven’t bothered to have it read…if I it doesn’t “read” when needed I plan to sue the MFers!!

**believe there is a thread on this forum regarding this??

GOOD LUCK DEALING WITH THOSE IDIOTS!!

The TWIC is also used at my work for certain facilities of the workplace, and confirmed visually, by security personnel.
There have been some ALL-finger readers installed for general “signing-in” purposes but they haven’t been used yet. They may be linked to the TWIC somehow, maybe not, I don’t pay much attention to the rumor mill in regards to that as theres not much reason to like it. Especially for a day-boat job.

[quote=seadawg;24948]believe sometime last year they had a "computer glitch and “lost data”…isn’t technology wonderful…don’t believe they bothered or could notifly those affected…imagine there are quite a few cards “out of order”…went ahead and had mine reissued in person as I couldn’t locate my original pin#…was assured in the twic office that the new one is “good”…haven’t bothered to have it read…if I it doesn’t “read” when needed I plan to sue the MFers!!

**believe there is a thread on this forum regarding this??

GOOD LUCK DEALING WITH THOSE IDIOTS!![/quote]

Yes, TWICs of a certain issuance date had to be reconfigured. Maybe to receive new ones or simply confirm over the phone. I think they were the earliest ones issued for a period of a few months. I don’t recall the specific dates but I know mine was safe.

Considering that most places just require a TWIC for visual confirmation, I don’t see a problem with your TWIC not working.

Its mostly by the suggestion of 3rd party security companies that counsel companies that I think these devices come into being. The more devices the more problems of course and every mariner knows this.

One had to take their card into a TWIC office, have it read, and input your PIN number. If you couldn’t remember your PIN they had to issue a new card.

I couldn’t remember what it was and entered a number. The lady said something about the length of what I entered and I asked her how many digits should it be. She told me between 6 and 8 and I was able to put in the correct one.

All of this after waiting for an hour and half! LOL

This whole TWIC thing is a damn cluster-****! I had a port security guard in Galveston tell me that my TWIC card was not a valid ID! I couldn’t believe it…if its not a valid ID than whats the point of it??