TORONTO, Ont. – Blue Water Bridge won the Transportation Program of the Year award at the 35th annual National Transportation Week Ontario Awards Breakfast this morning.

The bridge authority won for its dedicated FAST infrastructure initiative.

FAST, or Free and Secure Trade, is a joint U.S. and Canada Customs and Immigration program that offers expedited clearance to importers, carriers and drivers registered in the program. It was developed to increase security and improve efficiency at Canada-U.S. border crossings.

Essentially, shippers and carriers registered in FAST are able to move their goods across the border more quickly because their drivers have access to FAST booths where their shipments are cleared more quickly.

On Jan. 5, 2004, Blue Water Bridge became the first Canada-U.S. border crossing to implement dedicated FAST infrastructure. This includes a designated lane on the bridge and on Highway 402, as well as a toll booth for FAST approved shipments.

FAST-approved drivers no longer have to wait in lineups as they approach the bridge, but can drive directly to the tollbooth and across the bridge to the Michigan side. On peak volume days, trucks registered in FAST represent 15-18 per cent of the truck traffic at the Blue Water Bridge.