On November 17, 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Press Release and Fact Sheet announcing the first phase of a pilot program implementing biometric identification cards for transportation workers. According to the Press Release, the seven-month pilot program will involve up to 200,000 workers at 34 sites in six states. These sites are to include maritime, rail, aviation, and ground modes of transportation.

The program run by the DHS Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is called the Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC) Program, and testing for the Program began on November 17, 2004 at the Port of Long Beach Container Terminal in Los Angeles, CA. Sites soon to follow are: Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay (Philadelphia, PA), Port Canaveral in Florida, and the Port of Pensacola (Pensacola, FL).

The TWIC is a "tamper-resistant credential that contains biometric information about the holder that renders the card useless to anyone other than the rightful owner. The purpose of this credential is for transportation facilities to verify workers' identities and prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing secure areas. The 34 TWIC prototype sites, which are listed on the above-referenced Fact Sheet, are planned for the East Coast, Southern Caifornia, and Florida.