MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala -- A recent change in base regulations now allows individuals who drive for on-demand car service to obtain a merchant pass. This change gives base personnel more options for transportation.
“Merchant passes have been issued here for many years, mostly to taxi drivers, pizza delivery, and bus shuttle services,” said Tech. Sgt. Eric Schell, noncommissioned officer in charge of the pass and registration/visitor center at Maxwell Air Force Base. "These passes give drivers 24-hour access to the base seven days a week. On-demand car services drivers were recently added to the list.”
Ride-share drivers are required to follow the same procedures to obtain a merchant pass as other vendors. Drivers need to fill out an Application for Merchant Pass or a Form 9, which can be obtained from the Maxwell Visitor Center/pass and registration office. Once the application is completed and turned into the base Visitors Control Center, base security forces will conduct a full background investigation on the applicant. If the background comes back clean, the application is forwarded to the defense force commander for approval.
“We are responsible for vetting every single visitor, contractor and vendor utilizing state and national databases such as the National Crime Information Center and the Alabama Communication and Operations Portal,” Schell said. If a visitor's criminal history presents outstanding warrants, violent criminal offenses in their history or any felonies, the determination for initial denial of access will be made by the NCOIC.“
There have been approximately 35 driver application requests made at Maxwell since the policy change, with 30 of them approved for the merchant pass already. As the demand for transportation grows, more applications from drivers are expected.
There has been an influx of applicants applying for merchant passes at Maxwell since the policy change, Schell said. Taxi companies have eight or nine employees on average, but Uber could employ anywhere from 50-100 people. Uber has the tendency to add a significant work load if all drivers request base access at the same time.
“We ask that people be patient waiting for their application to be approved,” Schell said “The Visitors Control Center staff is committed to keeping Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex safe by only allowing authorized civilians access.”