Thousands of Drivers Skip FAST Interview Process

Canadian Official Says No-Show Truckers Must Reapply for Border-Crossings Program

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

housands of drivers who applied for the Free and Secure Trade program at the U.S.-Canadian border have not followed up with required in-person interviews, said Chris Kealey, a spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency. The FAST program pre-approves drivers so they could cross the border quickly.

Kealey told Transport Topics that as of July 27, some 29,265 U.S. and Canadian drivers were conditionally approved after they submitted an initial application to the program. Those drivers had to follow up with an in-person interview within 90 days to complete the application process. Kealey told TT that only 17,812 did.

Kealey said that meant drivers had to reapply, which created extra paperwork for the border agency.

For the full story, see the Aug. 2 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.