New Technology to Identify Border Crossers

(Ray Spiteri — Sun Media/Welland Tribune)

U. S. Customs And Border Protection Agency Has Installed Radio Frequency Identification Technology At Area Border Crossings

New technology at Niagara’s four border crossings will reduce waiting times and result in a more secure environment, American customs officials say.

The U. S. Customs and Border Protection agency has installed radio frequency identification technology at the Rainbow, Queenston-Lewiston, Whirlpool and Peace bridges.

It will allow officers to identify U. S. State Department-issued passport cards, so-called “enhanced” driver’s licences and trusted traveller identification documents, such as NEXUS or FAST, before a driver reaches an inspection station.

When a traveller approaches the booth, the wireless technology captures a randomly assigned number from a chip embedded in the documents.

No personal data is contained or transmitted - the numerical identifier serves only as a pointer to gather information from the agency’s secure network and display it for a border officer.

“This will greatly reduce border wait times in that as the car approaches, the technology will already be on the officer’s screen as opposed to an officer having to type in an individual’s information,” CBP spokesman Kevin Corsaro said at the Peace Bridge Monday, where officials demonstrated how the technology works for the media. Read more here.