TSA wants private companies to help enroll travelers in PreCheck

Next year private companies may be enrolling fliers into the expedited airport security screening program known as PreCheck.

The Transportation Security Administration said Friday it wants to increase the number of travelers enrolled in the program and cut wait times by enlisting private companies to help.

PreCheck members leave on their shoes and belts, and aren’t required to take liquids and laptops out of their carry-on bags while going through security checkpoints.

“By expediting screening for those passengers who are low-risk, TSA PreCheck enables us to focus screening efforts on the passengers who we know present a greater risk to aviation security or individuals who we know less and pose an unknown level of risk to the traveling public,” agency head John Pistole said in a statement.

As of December, almost 600,000 travelers had enrolled in PreCheck. A spokesman says the program has improved wait times in regular and PreCheck security lanes by 60%.

The TSA would seek contracts from companies that do the initial vetting, but the agency would still check people against a no-fly list.

How will this benefit travelers? More companies offering PreCheck could mean more competitive prices (or not) and more convenient places to enroll. TSA currently enrolls fliers who are fingerprinted and pay $85 at offices in airports and elsewhere.

Fliers also may join through partner programs such as Global Entry ($100, and expedites re-entry to the U.S. too) and the SENTRI program offered by Customs and Border Protection.

The TSA will begin soliciting bids on Oct. 7 with the hope of having private companies on board next year, a spokesman says.