Moving Forward with Intelligence - Making Border Crossings More Effective

Vision

ITS will help Ontario address Homeland Security concerns to make travel to the United States more predictable and faster, and to minimize the impact on local communities hosting border crossings.

Intelligent border Crossing

The pre-clearance system brings up truck information on Custom Agent's screen, allowing for swifter processing.

The efficient operation of our international border crossings to the United States is critical to the economy of Ontario - and yet this same economic benefit can in some ways hurt some of our communities. MTO will keep working with Transport Canada on an Action Plan for the Intelligent border Crossing.

An Intelligent border Crossing (IBC) will use ITS solutions to improve border efficiency - solutions that will dovetail with the new emphasis on homeland security in the U.S. and improve the qualityoflifeinlocalcommunities.Theactionplan will be developed with key stakeholders, including the Canadian and U.S. federal, state, and provincial governments, local municipalities and industry. The plan will take advantage of existing systems and links, such as COMPASS and the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition (NITTEC). By linking together diverse opportunities, whether they are from the public sector, or from organizations like the Bridge and Tunnel Operators, we can maximize the value of our investments.

IBC could take advantage of such ITS services as pre-clearance, traveller information, traffic management, emergency response and hazardous goods monitoring. The concepts emerging from the development of the action plan will include the same type of integration as our previously mentioned "Reduce Urban Congestion" section strategies.

Between 1994 and 2000, U.S. trade with Canada increased from $243 billion to $406 billion, an average annual growth rate of 8.9%. — www.wcog.org/mk/itscvo.shtml
A two-year study by the American Trucking Associations Foundation found that the commercial vehicle administrative processes (CVAP) reduced carriers' costs by an estimated 9-18% when electronic data interchange (EDI) was used.
— American Trucking Associations Foundation.
Study Explores Benefit/Cost of ITS/CVO User Services.
Prepared for the FHWA. Undated.

Continuing short term improvements

Queue-end monitoring and advisory systems reduce incidents by warning vehicles of delays ahead.

Ontario has partnered with municipal and federal governments, and has acted independently to make a number of short term improvements to our international border crossings. These have included such things as:

• Video monitoring systems to monitor Huron Church Road in Windsor;
• Changeable message signs near major crossings to advise travellers of conditions; and
• Truck queue-end monitoring and advisory systems on Highway 405 and the Queen Elizabeth Way to warn of dangerous queue conditions.

The ministry has continued with the scheduled addition of queue monitoring on Highway 402 approaching the Blue Water Bridge.

The Action Plan for the Intelligent border Crossing will also bring short and long term improvements to our international border crossings. The ministry will work with its partners to pursue these. One promising area is the Travellers Road Information Project. This system will form the basis for sharing border operations information throughout the Ontario government.

Intelligent border Crossing (IBC) will help the flow of commercial and passenger vehicles across Canada and U.S. border crossings. These systems will reduce processing times and increase security.

Increasing U.S. homeland security intelligence

In order to implement any border congestion solution effectively it is necessary to first fully understand the implications of the increased U.S. Homeland Security measures. Through active participation in events and organizations, such as NITTEC and U.S. Commercial Vehicle Freight Mobility Forums - that provide the opportunity to gather this information - MTO can effectively understand and meet any challenges. These forums will also provide an opportunity to voice Ontario's interests.

Previous | Contents | Next