Now on a Road Near You: High-Risk Truckers
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) has given “quick access” across the border to some truck drivers, including thousands who may be high-risk, according to a report in Landline Media. A recent audit revealed flaws in the CPB’s Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program, which allows drivers with legitimate low risk loads to cross the border more quickly.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General looked at 368 drivers in the 2019 FAST program and found 45 – or 12% -- to be high-risk. Extrapolating out to the 84,000 truckers enrolled in the program could mean that more than 10,000 FAST drivers are potentially considered high-risk. Additionally, based on the audit, 82% of truckers had possible disqualifying records and were not fully assessed.
The goal of the FAST program is to free up time for CPB agents to review unknown or potentially risky truckers. The report alleges that CBP did not accurately apply its standards or address all disqualifying factors. As a result, the program may be putting border security at higher risk—as well as other drivers on the road.
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