The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is again applauding the Government of Canada for recently extending the temporary in-transit program until January 8, 2022 to aid in relief efforts in B.C. and has requested that the feds negotiate with US officials to keep the process in place until at least spring of 2022, when the situation can be revisited to assess the necessity extending the process further.
CTA members report that the emergency protocols for the temporary in-transit process have worked to ensure the safe passage of commercial vehicles on suitable roads by transiting through the US, as the reopening/closing of major roadways within B.C. remains a fluid situation.
The interim measures have also worked to effectively deliver critical goods into the B.C. region such as grocery/food products, building and repair materials and many other commodities. Although travel times are still significantly longer than normal – and will continue to be for an undefined period – in-transit movements have worked to minimize delay times effectively, while getting goods into the hands of businesses and people in need as quickly as possible.
In addition to the extension, CTA has also requested that carriers continue to use a generic harmonization number and price per pound calculation on all in-transit loads until Highways 1, 3 and 5 are all open for normal capacity and remain accessible/safe for commercial vehicle use.
An extension of the temporary in-transit program by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) would also complement regulatory relief efforts extended to the Canadian domestic trucking industry yesterday by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to assist in maintaining flow of essential freight to impacted areas of BC.
The Alliance would like to thank the Government of Canada for its unwavering support during this crisis and looks forward to continuing to work with the federal government and lending its support in future discussions with US officials on extending the process beyond January.