TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), is calling upon motor carriers, drivers and shippers to work together to ease pressures at the border and to keep essential deliveries moving.

OTA president, David Bradley says the backlog of trucks at major Canadian-U.S. border points is testing the limits of the North American distribution network and change is not expected in the near future.”

“Trucking companies and their drivers are doing the best they can and are totally understanding of the reasons why the stepped up border checks have been implemented.”

Bradley says he has had excellent co-operation from shipper groups, “but we need to get the message out more broadly.”

The OTA is working with federal and provincial authorities on plans to ensure shipments of essential products and food receive priority attention. The association has also teamed with the American Trucking Associations, to push for tolerance in the enforcement of driver Hours-of-Service regulations during this time.

Trucks haul 80 per cent of Ontario’s trade with the U.S. Sixty-five per cent of Canada’s trade with the U.S. crosses at the Ontario border points at Windsor, Sarnia, Fort Erie and Niagara. On a typical day, a truck crosses the Canada-U.S. border once every 2.5 seconds.