TORONTO, (Aug. 14, 2003) — The Ontario Trucking Association has reported that up to 2,000 drivers who have applied for enrollment in the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program have not shown up for their face-to-face FAST driver interviews.

As a part of the FAST Driver application, drivers selected to appear for a an interview are sent an official letter indicating they should report to a FAST enrollment centre within 90 days. U.S. Customs and Border Protection — which notified the OTA of the problem during a meeting in Detroit this week — says a large number of drivers who have received letters have not shown up for interviews, and the agency will be contacting individual drivers via telephone to remind them.

In the meantime, CBP and the OTA are asking that carriers encourage their drivers to schedule an interview if they have received an official letter from the program. Carriers wishing to call and schedule blocks of time for their company drivers will receive priority enrollment. Walk-ins will be accepted, however preference will be given to those carriers or drivers who schedule appointments.

FAST is a harmonized program between Canadian and U.S. customs agencies and immigration departments. The program offers expedited clearance processes for pre-approved drivers and commercial shipments crossing the border, and provides a dedicated FAST lane for trucks wherever possible.

For a list of locations, contact numbers, and hours of operation for each of the five FAST Driver Enrollment Centres currently in operation, go to the following OTA address:

www.ontruck.org/news/news/2003/pnews_2003_08_13_174152_msoffice.php3