NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — The three- and four-hour delays at key U.S. border crossing points experienced as the Iraq war commenced last week and the U.S. went to high alert dissipated over the weekend.

This morning Canada Customs and Revenue Agency is reporting no delays at almost all crossings. (For regular updates on the border, check Border Wait Times module on www.trucknews.com) .

The St. Bernard-de-Lacolle. Que./Chaplain, NY crossing has the longest waiting time at 25 minutes this morning with the Ambassador Bridge and Detroit/Canada Tunnel reporting 20 minute delays. This is marked difference from the previous week when motor carriers experienced waits of up to three hours at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor and the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.

A large part of the reason the border lineups have subsided may be attributed to travellers staying away.

Tom Garlock, general manager of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, said there has rarely been a better time to cross the border adding that non-commercial traffic has “dropped dramatically” since hostilities began.

“I’m very concerned that both American and Canadians that live some distance from the border understand that it [the border] is working very well because — of course, here in Niagara Falls — we are very dependent upon the tourism industry,” he said.