Survey sheds light on serious border concerns

Together with International Road Dynamics (IRD), KPMG LLP recently completed a survey of Canadian commercial carriers on border-crossing issues and the results are somewhat shocking.

Participants say border delays have cost their operations individually as much as $11.4 million in the wake of Sept. 11.

The carriers surveyed reported on average border delays when heading southbound have stretched an additional 20 per cent. As well, northbound wait times have swollen by about 12 per cent. These increases were despite the fact the economy has been slower resulting in a physical decrease in the volume of international truck traffic.

The two companies — KPMG and IRD — are proposing a new electronic border-crossing system known as Expedited Carrier Tracking, or simply EXPECT.

Their survey indicates carriers would welcome a single system for crossing in both directions and 71 per cent already meet the technical IT requirements to run a program like EXPECT.