Feb 1, 2003 12:00 PM

“I've heard that there are some truck drivers currently carrying up to 23 ID cards around their necks,” said James M Loy, transportation undersecretary. “I wouldn't want to pay that chiropractor bill.”

Loy made these comments while discussing a national transportation worker identification program during a January 16 session of the 82nd annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington DC.

He said current physical access security systems by transportation personnel are inadequate and present a significant risk to the United States. Under a national ID program, drivers and other transportation workers would only have one card that would be acceptable nationwide. The credential program would combine personal information and biometrics to identify transportation employees with access to secure areas.

“We're talking about everyone from pilots and mechanics to airline catering and custodial workers, truck drivers and warehouse workers loading pallets and trailers, to dock workers and ship crews,” Loy said. “The idea is to have these employees undergo only one standard criminal background investigation. It would link them to a central database that would be accessible nationwide, and it could serve as an international standard.”