Rail shippers will soon join their air, truck, and ocean brethren in sending shipment data to Customs before goods reach the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico.

As of July 12, the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will require railroads to submit that information at least two hours prior to a shipment arriving at the U.S. border.

The advance notification program will be implemented in three phases. The first phase includes: Richford, Norton, and Highgate Springs (Vt.); Buffalo, Covington/Trout River, and Champlain-Rouses Point (N.Y.); Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Ste. Marie (Mich.); Noyes and International Falls (Minn.); Portal, N.D.; Sweetgrass, Mont.; Eastport, Ida.; Blaine, Sumas, Frontier/Boundary, and Laurier (Wash.); Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Laredo, and El Paso (Texas); Nogales, Ariz.; and Calexico, Calif.

The second phase of implementation takes place Aug. 10 and covers Jackman, Van Buren, Vanceboro, and Calais (Me.). The third part of the implementation, set for Sept. 9, will apply to Presidio, Texas, and Tecate and Otay Mesa (Calif.).

More information about the new requirements can be found at CBP's Web site (www.cbp.gov).

News Capsule