Congress must find more ways to allow motor carriers considered a “low security” risk to pass more quickly through the 160 U.S. border checkpoints with Mexico and Canada, a trucking official said last week.
Testifying Thursday on behalf of American Trucking Associations before the House Homeland Security Committee’s border, maritime and global counterterrorism subcommittee, Stephen Russell said there are not enough special truck lanes at crossings for carriers previously certified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Russell is chairman and chief executive officer of truckload carrier Celadon Group.
As a result, he said, carriers whose equipment, drivers and cargo have been certified as a low security risk are wasting too much time in long lines at the border.
Russell told the panel that carriers that participate in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, or C-TPAT, program face immediate revocation of their program status if they are involved in even one security incident.
“Such a drastic measure takes place before any investigation is undertaken to understand what led to the security incident,” he said.
By Eric Miller
Staff Reporter
