Read about it in The Journal of Commerce Online HERE.
Read about it in CANADIAN Transportation & Logistics HERE.
Read about it in TRUCK NEWS HERE.
Read about it in American Journal of Transportation HERE
Commissioner Bonner dedicates FAST lane in Laredo, Texas - read the CBP news release HERE.

March 2004-
General Motors Utilizing FASTPoint at Southern Border

In late 2002 the US-Canadian Free and Secure Trade (FAST) initiative was first implemented to expedite the movement of trucks through FAST lanes at commercial northern border crossings. General Motors, the world’s #1 maker of cars and trucks, was among the initiative’s groundbreaking participants. In December 2003 Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced that the FAST program was being extended to the US-Mexico border as well. General Motors was once again at the forefront expediting FAST shipments at the southern border.

Gilbert S. Duhn Jr., Customs Manager for General Motors Corporation (GM) made the following statement: “We are currently clearing over 7,000 shipments each week using this process in Detroit and Port Huron, Buffalo, and Laredo. The carriers for these types of loads would typically spend 2-4 hours at the border having their paperwork processed. With FAST there is no paper, only the electronic transaction data and the pre-approved account data. The cities of Windsor and Sarnia, Ontario have agreed to allow FAST trucks to utilize traffic lanes normally prohibited to truck traffic to move to the front of the line. This is accomplished utilizing a special placard placed in the window to the truck to identify it as FAST. Trucks without the placard will be ticketed. This gives carriers one more incentive to be on FAST. In Nuevo Laredo there is a special lane used for empty trucks and cabs only. FAST shipments can now use this lane to move to the front of the line.

The FAST software GM uses was developed by TradePoint Systems and has allowed GM's carriers to improve their productivity by providing electronic manifest data in advance to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Pre-approval by CBP of the shippers, carriers, importer, broker, consignees and tariff classification of the goods gives CBP advanced information for their enforcement responsibilities. We can clear up to seventy shipments on one truck using a bar code containing the Trip number or with the transponder in less than 30 seconds! Our carriers are better able to utilize their equipment and drivers by reducing the border wait time by several hours. CBP is able to process the shipments much faster with a higher level of confidence on these FAST loads. This allows CBP to spend their time saved looking at the more risky shipments. We were also able to take the release message from CBP which includes the ship from DUNS and SID (Shipment ID number) to import our Advance Shipment Notice (ASN) from the shipper, append purchase order price, tariff classifications, weight, country of origin, and NAFTA eligibility to populate the CBP Entry. The entire process has been automated using the TradePoint FASTPoint solution.

Every other expedited release option (i.e. BRASS, PAPS) is bar code supported, and only 5 bar codes will be scanned at primary. More than five bar codes and the driver has to park and get into CBP for a stand in line for scanning. These delays cost money. Additionally, if there is ever a code RED issued by Homeland Security, only the FAST shipments will get through the border. They will be prioritized by the CBP and the Bridge and Port Authorities. FAST shipments will have a special placard indicating they are FAST and the Bridge will pull the carriers out of line and move to the front of the line for processing. This is to encourage all carriers to participate with their clients. The day will come if you are not FAST you will be VERY SLOW.”

Ken Halle, Executive COO at TradePoint Systems added, "We were the first to offer carriers and importers our commercially available FASTPoint software application. We will continue to work every step of the way with CBP to ensure that our customers are ready in advance with any mandated changes. TradePoint is at the forefront of all new and future programs associated with ACE, AES and C-TPAT."

For more than 30 years TradePoint Systems has provided world-class software and services for the compliance, documentation, clearance and tracking of goods and services moving internationally.

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