WINDSOR, Ont. — Windsor Mayor Mike Hurst got his way after threatening a blockade to protest truck traffic in his city, now he’s focusing on his next goal, increasing U.S. Customs staff.

In a joint letter to U.S. officials, Hurst and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick urged the government to open more commercial inspection booths, allow overtime-cap flexibility, expand and make use of all available facilities and immediately begin to set the groundwork for the NEXUS pre-clearance program for cars.

"The world’s most valuable trade gateway continues to experience lengthy delays as inadequate staffing and facilities inhibit trade, tourism and regional prosperity," the letter reads. "The immediate crisis threatens to undermine secure, efficient cross-border commerce."

The letter goes on to say "We believe these steps which focus on appropriate staffing levels for the northern border will drastically improve what has become a dire situation that threatens the economic foundation of our region."

The letter was addressed to Robert Bonner, commissioner of U.S. Customs, James Ziglar, commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and Stephen Perry, administrator of the General Services Administration.