Truck transportation through border ports of entry : analysis of coordination systems.

2002PDFTech ReportTX-01/50-1XXA30387-50-1XXA3038Border regionsInternational bordersPorts of entryCoordinationTraffic congestionTraffic delayStakeholdersTransportation planningMexicoUnited StatesTexas. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation OfficeOjah, Mark I.Villa, Juan C.Stockton, William R.Luskin, David M.Harrison, RobertTexas Transportation InstituteUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationNTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Traffic FlowNTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-CongestionNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATIONUS Transportation CollectionThis report identifies shortcomings in coordination at U.S. \u2014 Mexico border ports-of-entry and recommends alternatives that would improve operations and reduce congestion and delay. Based on the review of numerous previous reports and more than 100 on-site interviews from Texas to California, the authors analyze existing shortcomings and their causes. They conclude that the underlying problem is the absence of an overarching forum for coordinated planning and operations. As a result of this fundamental limitation, each of the public and private stakeholders plans and operates in ways that optimize their individual missions rather than the system as a whole. Issues that surfaced a decade ago still plague border operations because the forum to resolve those issues has not been established. Further compounding the challenges are the findings that neither physical infrastructure nor human resources have kept pace with growth. A dearth of basic data and benchmarks prevents all stakeholders from objectively attacking the problems. This reports lists specific actions to address existing problem areas and create an ongoing forum structure. The authors recommend a pilot project to incorporate the alternatives devised in this study. The pilot would test the specific recommendations, as well as develop a process whereby all ports-of-entry can tackle planning and operations coordination effectively