Leading Houston Trucking Company, Covey Transport, Alerts Truckers to New U.S. Coastguard Security Clearance Requirements

The Long Time Port of Houston Trucking Service Reports - Transportation Workers Identification Credentials (TWIC) Clearance Cards Now Required at Ports

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) December 17, 2008 -- While not yet in effect in the Houston area, long time trucking service Covey Transport advises truckers to pursue their Transportation Workers Identification Credentials (TWIC) now, as the process for registering, approval and receiving the cards can take up to four months.

Covey representatives state that the goal of the new TWIC program is to ensure that all individuals who have unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels undergo a thorough governmental background check. This is an effort by the Department of Homeland Security to provide greater port security.

According to Covey's Logistics Manager John Reinhardt, port authorities will begin checking for the TWIC cards in seven captain-of-the-port zones beginning December 30, 2008. These zones include the ports of Baltimore and Philadelphia, the Ohio River, lower Mississippi River, San Diego, California and Mobile, Alabama. The deadline for Houston is set for April 15, 2009.

The national compliance date for all workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of maritime facilities and vessels and all U.S. credentialed mariners is April 15, 2009.

"Port Arthur was originally required to have the cards by November 28, 2008, but an extension was granted to April as a result of the disruption of enrollment and port activities in the wake of Hurricane Ike," said Reinhardt.

"We support any effort to improve the security of our ports and want to ensure no interruption in transportation service, so we are alerting partners within our industry to the upcoming changes," added Reinhardt.

Covey Transport is a family-owned business that has been transporting steel for over 30 years. Specializing in Port of Houston trucking services, the company offers direct discharge American port services. This direct discharge service allows steel exports to the United States, as well as other general ship freight uploaded directly to their trucks and transported to the customer or to Covey Transport's steel storage yard for national distribution.

To learn more about Covey Transport, log onto www.coveytransport.com - or call 713-676-2627 today.

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