ATA Urges Improvement to Border Infrastructure and Procedures

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22  /PRNewswire/ -- Improving the security and efficiency of freight transportation across borders will require more funds for infrastructure, more reasonable enforcement of trade security program rules, and giving the lead role in coordinating federal efforts to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, Celadon Group Inc. Chairman and CEO Stephen Russell told a congressional panel today.

Speaking on behalf of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), Russell told the House Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, House Homeland Security Committee that "closer cooperation and understanding between industry and government will yield an even higher degree of security at our nation's borders and will improve cross-border operations and the international supply chain."

The head of the Indianapolis-based trucking company praised the development of low-risk and trusted-traveler programs such as Free and Secure Trade (FAST) and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program (C-TPAT). To participate in FAST, motor carriers must become C-TPAT certified and their drivers must undergo a background check. Carriers benefit by expedited clearance of their equipment, driver, and cargo -- as long as it belongs to a C-TPAT importer -- in addition to getting access to a lane dedicated for FAST participants.

But today, "the biggest challenge trucking companies continue to face with the C-TPAT/FAST program is the lack of 'true' FAST lanes," said Russell. "This results in low-risk C-TPAT carriers being stuck in the same traffic as non-C-TPAT certified carriers."

"The end goals of security and efficiency are not mutually exclusive. Though it is impossible to achieve absolute security without bringing trade to a standstill, we can greatly reduce the potential of being targeted by our enemies by managing risk, increasing security awareness among company personnel, and implementing simple cost-effective security measures," Russell said.

Russell said that another problem with the C-TPAT program is that a single security incident can result in the immediate revocation of a carriers' C-TPAT status, even before an investigation. If an inspection finds contraband on a C-TPAT carrier's truck, the carrier can be suspended from the program without knowing if the contraband was placed on the truck during loading of freight or at another point in the supply chain.

ATA has proposed that if a C-TPAT carrier security incident is the company's first, then CBP should consider investigating first, instead of immediately suspending the carrier. If the investigation shows the carrier was not at fault, it would be put on probation. If the investigation shows a carrier willfully disregarded C-TPAT Minimum Security Criteria, CBP could suspend the carrier and require it to reapply and undergo again a full validation of program requirements.

Russell praised development of Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), an electronic manifest system that captures trade data, clears cargo entering the U.S., and provides CBP an improved system for targeting, risk analysis, and release of cargo.

"The trucking industry encourages the U.S. government, in cooperation with both Canada and Mexico, to improve and to facilitate the capture and exchange of information on goods and people crossing our land borders," Russell said. ATA recommends that the U.S. government quickly implement the Smart Border Accord between the U.S. and Canada, the 22 Point Plan between the U.S. and Mexico, and recommendations of the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership.

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.

Celadon Group, Inc., (NASDAQ:CLDN) headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., is primarily a truckload carrier and a significant portion of the company's business consists of moving freight across our nation's borders with Mexico and Canada. Celadon has been recognized for its safety record and its environmental programs. For the second consecutive year, Celadon won the top award from the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay program as a result of their achievements in reducing emissions through various innovative programs. 

DATASOURCE: American Trucking Associations; Celadon Group, Inc.



CONTACT:  Clayton Boyce of the American Trucking Associations,

[phone] or Tom Burck of Celadon, [phone] ext. 2304



Web Site:  http://www.truckline.com/ 

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