TORONTO, Ont. — Truck drivers who aren’t Canadian citizens won’t necessarily be turned back at the border Dec. 31, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci today told reporters at the OTA’s annual convention in Toronto.

Cellucci offered reassurance to Canada’s trucking industry with regards to questions concerning the US-VISIT program, which becomes effective at Canada/U.S. border crossings at the end of the year.

The program requires all landed immigrants, including truck drivers who have their FAST cards, to be fingerprinted and photographed when crossing into the U.S.

Cellucci said he doesn’t expect that will mean landed immigrant drivers with FAST cards and the currently required I-94 waivers to be fingerprinted every time they cross the border.

“U.S. Customs is not interested in causing back ups at the border,” Cellucci said to repeated questions about enforcement rules for drivers.

Cellucci could not be pinned down, however, as to how exactly enforcement will roll out.

“We will adopt a policy of informed compliance regarding the enforcement of FAST card registration for drivers and I expect there will be a similar policy for the US-VISIT program requirements,” was all Cellucci would say.

Cellucci would not say, however, how long enforced compliance policies will be in effect after the Nov. 15 FAST card for BRASS drivers deadline or after the US-VISIT Dec. 31 deadlines.