Photo IDs on fuel cards: just the beginning

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (June 12, 2002, via truckinginfo.com) — In a sign of things to come, Comdata Corp., Brentwood, Tenn., will be providing drivers for Swift Transportation with Comdata fuel cards that include identification photos.

“It is in direct response to overwhelming requests from a number of the nation’s top fleets to enhance security efforts in-house as well as for drivers on the road,” said Comdata spokesman Mike Brewer in an interview with RoadStar magazine.

Swift isn’t the first carrier to issue photo ID fuel cards, but the big truckload carrier based in Phoenix, Ariz., is clearly part of a trend.

“It’s not only a fleet request, it’s a common concern of shippers. They are going to very quickly start requiring that fleets address security concerns as it pertains to how drivers access their property and how they drop their loads,” Brewer said.

“Shippers want to know two things: Are you who you say you are? And are you authorized to be on my property? Our photo ID card answers half that question.”

Clearly, a photo ID can identify a driver. Authorization is something Comdata is working on.

“Products that we are working on include a biometric component which goes into affirming not only that the person is who they say they are, but affirming that they have access to be authorized to certain areas on shipper’s property in particular,” Brewer said.