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 using the
FASTPoint software solution developed by TradePoint Systems.
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 five 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."