Washington Notebook: Truck pilot program set to begin at Peace Bridge

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it will launch this month a one-year cargo pre-inspection pilot test in Fort Erie, Ontario, for trucks crossing the Peace Bridge to Buffalo, N.Y. The exercise will test the ability of the pre-inspection process to reduce wait times and border congestion, a key goal of the Beyond the Border Initiative between Canada and the United States.
   The test follows a five month “proof of concept” demonstration at the Surrey, British Columbia, crossing across the Pacific Highway from Blaine, Wash. CBP and Canada Border Services Agency used the program to test standard operating procedures and technologies that could be employed at the Peace Bridge or other potential crossings. Traffic is much lighter at the Blaine crossing and doesn’t require ongoing pre-inspection operations, CBP officials say.
   Officers will be stationed at the Canadian checkpoint to do primary inspections, and trucks will either get a green light when they reach the U.S. side of the bridge or be directed to a cargo lot for secondary inspection. CBP has said it will provide front-of-the-line privileges to motor carriers in the Free and Secure Trade program.