OTTAWA — The Canadian Trucking Alliance continues to lobby U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fix technical problems to the DTOPS system as well as cut down on delays for transponder renewals.

According to a notice CTA sent to its provincial trucking associations, there continues to be glitches to the DTOPS system functionality.

While CBP is working on the problem, the current backlog of renewal applications totals nearly 100,000. CBP says it is confidant that the outstanding renewals will be handled prior to the expiration date of December 31st, 2008.

Meanwhile, CBP encourages carriers that have not already submitted renewal applications to submit the renewal applications using the DTOPS system, not paper applications.

However, according to the notice, those carriers that have already submitted paper renewal applications should not reapply using the DTOPS system, as there is the potential of being charged twice.

CTA and the American Trucking Associations are urging CBP to allow certain temporary exemptions for truckers that have
not received transponder renewals in cab by Jan. 1, 2009.

A "grace period" or soft enforcement period until March 1st, 2009 or another reasonable period of time is one option being discussed.