As part of a TSA PreCheck enrollment roadshow, mobile enrollment trucks will be on the move this fall in an effort to help travelers complete their in-person interviews and fingerprinting for their TSA PreCheck applications—without the hassle of heading to the airport.
In order to enroll in TSA PreCheck, a security screening expediting program, you first need to fill out the online application and then schedule an in-person interview at an enrollment center, many of which are located at the country’s airports.
But now, IdentoGO mobile enrollment trucks are fanning out across the U.S. so that travelers who have filled out their online application can either make an appointment or head to one of the mobile RV sites during operating hours to complete their interview and fingerprinting process on a walk-in basis. The IdentoGO enrollment trucks are managed by security services provider Idemia, which operates the country’s TSA PreCheck centers.
The stepped-up effort to help travelers enroll in TSA PreCheck comes as passengers have reported long lines at the country’s airports this year with travel experiencing a robust rebound following the pandemic slowdown. Now, more than ever, travelers are likely to appreciate the ability to speed through TSA security screening lines more quickly and without having to remove their laptops and shoes while normal TSA screening lines often snake through the terminal.
It also comes just as processing times for Global Entry applications—a sister trusted traveler program that includes TSA PreCheck and helps move international arrivals through customs more quickly—have been lagging (though we recently reported on some ways to speed up the Global Entry process). With wait times for Global Entry currently ranging between 6 and 18 months, the Department of Homeland Security is encouraging fliers who predominantly travel domestically to go ahead and get TSA PreCheck first.
“If you do not travel multiple times per year internationally, we recommend applying for the TSA PreCheck Program,” DHS shared on its website. “Most TSA PreCheck applicants can schedule an appointment in less than two weeks and, if approved, can receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) in about 3 to 5 days after the appointment.”
A five-year Global Entry membership costs $100 and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own costs $85 for a five-year membership. (As of October 1, 2021, the price for renewing TSA PreCheck membership online dropped from $85 to $70.)
Where are the TSA PreCheck mobile enrollment centers?
Thus far, IdentoGO has released its schedule of locations for the next several weeks. You can check the website for updates beyond October as to where the mobile trucks will be heading next. Here is the current schedule:
- Farmingdale, New York: through September 16
- Birmingham, Michigan: through September 16
- Evergreen Park, Illinois: through September 16
- Topeka, Kansas: through September 16
- Edmond, Oklahoma: September 16–23
- Macomb, Michigan: September 19–23
- Garden City, New York: September 19–23
- Orland Park, Illinois: September 19–22
- Vernon Hills, Illinois: September 26–30
- Lansing, Michigan, September 26–30
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: September 26–30
- Allentown, Pennsylvania: September 26–October 7
- Middletown, Pennsylvania: October 3–7
- Newport, Kentucky: October 3–7
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: October 3–7
- Lexington, Kentucky: October 10–14
- Norman, Oklahoma: October 10–14
- Midlothian, Virginia: October 10–21
- Dacula, Georgia: October 17–21
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: October 17–28
The precise address and hours for each location is available on the IdentoGO website, which also provides a link to a search tool to help users find the nearest permanent TSA PreCheck enrollment centers, in case the mobile locations, dates, or times don’t work with your schedule. Additionally, the mobile RVs are not wheelchair accessible. So, the permanent enrollment center locator tool can also be used for those who would like to find a nearby location that is ADA compliant.
