Wireless Tech. to Aid Border Crossings

December 9, 1999 9:50 AM, EST

Federal officials have a vision of a seamless transportation system throughout the Western Hemisphere in which trucks and passengers can pass from country to country without stopping at borders for customs, safety checks and any other clearance.

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“We want to be able to go from Mexico City to Vancouver seamlessly, meaning you don’t stop at borders, you don’t need to be stopped to be weighed or even inspected,” said Fenton Carey, associate administrator for innovation, research and education at the Research and Special Programs Administration of the Department of Transportation.

Intelligent transportation systems are seen as the tools that will make this vision reality — a vision that Carey says is shared by the Clinton administration and the other nations of the North American Free Trade Agreement — Mexico and Canada.

Such a reality would greatly aid freight transportation between the countries, speeding truck traffic through the borders while improving safety. But getting the pieces in place to go forward on such projects has proven to be a considerable challenge.

For the full story, see the Dec. 6 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.