FREDERICTON, N.B. — New Brunswick has launched a travel registration program to make trips to the province smooth during Covid-19.

“Each person who registers will receive a travel registration number which can then be presented to border control officers at the point of crossing,” the province said Thursday.

It said the program is designed to greatly reduce the number of travelers turned away at checkpoints.

By directing travelers to the registration portal prior to their trip, it will reduce the need for officers to register and validate travelers on the spot, said Tim Wiebe, director of Covid Core Operations.

Once a travel registration is validated, information on persons required to self-isolate will be automatically sent to the traveler callback team, he said.

Information on the type of travel and other data points will be collated electronically.

“With summer vacation plans in full swing and the recently announced ‘Atlantic bubble’, we expect tremendous interest in the program,” said Wiebe.

Media reports said the opening of the bubble last week had led to significant delays at provincial borders.

CTV News reported Thursday that some truck drivers had missed their delivery times after being held up for hours.

The delays have sparked demands for dedicated lanes for truckers, it said.

New Brunswick had 166 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Two people have died from the illness.

• This story has been updated with reports of truckers experiencing delays at border checkpoints.