see also: in October 2003:   Border Patrol Makes Two Significant Drug Seizures in New Mexico and Texas   CBP Officers Seize 3,149 Pounds of Marijuana at Otay Mesa   CBP Border Patrol Aid Local Law Enforcement Agencies With San Diego Wildfires   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Appoints Director For the Office of Trade Relations   4th Annual Trade Symposium to be Held November 20 & 21   U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Open Vacancy for Officer Positions Nationwide ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

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SAN DIEGO - In partnership with the commercial trade community and Mexican Customs officials, the port of Otay Mesa temporarily will expand its hours of operation in November as part of a one-month test to gauge whether the changes will result in more efficient processing of cargo trucks entering and leaving the U.S., announced Adele Fasano, director of field operations in San Diego for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

During the 30-day test, which will begin Saturday, November 1, during the height of the pre-holiday season cargo rush, the facility's hours of operation will expand by two and one-half hours during week days and two hours on Saturdays for trucks laden with commercial goods. Additionally, hours of operation for empty trucks leaving the U.S. will increase by an hour.

Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Robert C. Bonner touted the move as "another step in our continuing effort to facilitate cross border trade while continuing to ensure a high level of security. We are working with industry and the government of Mexico to improve the flow of commerce, while never forgetting our priority mission to keep terrorists and terrorist weapons out of our country."

The third busiest cargo port on the Southwest border, Otay Mesa processes 2,900 empty and laden cargo trucks daily and during fiscal year 2003 processed almost 700,000 trucks. CBP officers at the port also seized almost 100,000 pounds of narcotics during fiscal year 2003, up 71percent from the year before. The pre-holiday season results in a 10-15 percent increase in laden trucks entering the port with goods bound for U.S. markets.

"Working with our stakeholders and staff, we plan to test these increased hours during the busiest time of year for cargo trucks entering the port," Fasano said. "Our objectives are to accurately determine the hourly distribution of traffic flow and whether the traffic volume is sufficient to reallocate staffing. In return, we expect the trade to make use of all available hours to smooth out the peak traffic and make the entire process more efficient."

Fasano said port officials will make hourly measurements of truck traffic arriving at the port's seven primary lanes and will share the information with its stakeholders. The data sharing is expected to result in more productive discussions with customs brokers, manufacturers, maquiladora companies, freight forwarders and trucking associations so that a more uniform hourly flow of traffic can be achieved, thereby reducing wait times, Fasano said.

Northbound laden trucks now will be serviced from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during weekdays, replacing the normal hours of 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Laden trucks arriving at the port on Saturdays will be serviced from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., an increase over the normal business hours of 11a.m. to 3 p.m. The temporary change in hours applies to all laden trucks.

Southbound empty trucks will be serviced from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays during the test, an increase of one hour during the evening hours.

All other operations will remain unchanged during the test, Fasano said, adding that a change in alert level status may require a suspension of the test while available staffing is dedicated to other law enforcement operations.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security that unifies U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture Inspectors and the Border Patrol.