More delays on security card

All port workers and truckers were supposed to have the cards by the end of last year. Now, the launch date is more than a year away, according to the Apparel News (I'm not sure what happens to all those illegal immigrants, terrorists and criminals they're trying to keep out). Actually, it's good news for local truckers who are illegal immigrants and couldn't get by the criminal background and legal residency requirements. If too many of those folks lose their jobs, it could create a driver shortage. No specifics on why there's been a delay, other than the usual bureaucratic and technological hangups.

After hearing about the card proposal last year, Brian Griley, president of Southern Counties Express Inc. in Rancho Dominguez, decided he would double-check the Social Security numbers of his independent truckers. He found four out of 100 truckers had several people using the same Social Security numbers. Two no longer work for his company. The other two cleared up the discrepancy. “For our company, I don’t see a huge impact from the [Transportation Workers Identification Credential],” he said. “But I can tell you there are a lot of carriers, particularly small carriers, that probably don’t have much of a safety or security department. The port estimates there are 1,400 companies and 14,000 to 16,000 drivers servicing the ports. That means there are a lot of companies with only 10 or so truckers. I think that is where you are going to see the whole bottom of the market check out.”