Performance Management at the U.S./Canadian Border

Chris DingmanNorthern Border Transportation Specialist

United States Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration

Michigan Transportation Planning Association Annual MeetingKalamazoo, MI

July 13, 2016

My Rhetorical Questions

• How can we use performance data and border wait times to inform decision-making and support policy discussion and direction?

• What if we could use data to measure the impact, efficiency, and performance of an existing border program?

• What if the data could quantify the value of that program?

• What if that program were administered by a Federal agency?

Presentation Outline

• Review area of analysis• Discussion of Cascade Gateway Border Data

Warehouse• Brief explanation of trusted traveler program

(NEXUS) between the U.S. and Canada• Wait times differences between NEXUS and

non-NEXUS users at two selected crossings• Scenario showing the impacts and cost of

wait times/delay• Research results

Analysis Area• Northwest Washington State/Lower Mainland

British Columbia– Peace Arch/Douglas– Pacific Highway

Cascade Gateway Border Data Warehouse

• Hosted and maintained by Whatcom Council of Governments.

• Captures data collected at the border within the study area and presents it in an online archive accessible to the public.

• Measures items such as traffic volume and delay.

• Data can be broken down by direction of traffic, type of traffic, time of day, day of week, month, year, multi-year, etc.

Source: Whatcom Council of Governments

Cascade Gateway Border Data Warehouse

*All border wait times information in this presentation comes from the Data Warehouse

NEXUS• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) jointly cooperate in this program to simplify passage for pre-approved travelers.

• The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing by United States and Canadian officials at dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry.

Source: United States Customs and Border Protection Website http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus

NEXUS (cont.)

• There is an application process.• Qualified applicants are required to travel

to a NEXUS enrollment center for an interview.

• There is a $50 application fee and the card is valid for 5 years.

Source: United States Customs and Border Protection Website http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus

NEXUS (cont.)

• NEXUS users have their own lane(s) for processing at the border.

• All occupants of a vehicle must be NEXUS card holders for that vehicle to use the NEXUS lane.

Methodology• Wait times for NEXUS users versus non-NEXUS

users will be compared.• Wait times were observed at both Peace

Arch/Douglas and Pacific Highway• Northbound traffic at both crossings were

observed for passenger vehicles only. • Two 12-month time frames were compared:

– November 1, 2012-October 31, 2013 (2013)– November 1, 2013-October 31, 2014 (2014)

Methodology (cont.)• For analysis purposes, we will replicate two

Northbound crossings to make up an entire trip.• Wait times were observed from 7 AM – Midnight

to coincide with the hours of operation for the NEXUS program.

• Wait times for each hour were averaged for both types of traffic (NEXUS and Non-NEXUS). Each hour during the study time was then averaged to arrive at an overall average wait time.

Peace Arch/Douglas 2013 and 2014All Days

Peace Arch/Douglas 2013 and 2014 Weekends Only

The Cost of Delay

Type of TripCost Per Hour of 

Delay Median

Personal $14.30‐21.50* $17.90

Business $18.30‐27.50* $22.90

*In 2009 Dollars

Source: The Value of Travel Time Savings: Departmental Guidance for Conducting Economic Evaluations Revision 2 http://www.dot.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/vot_guidance_092811c_0.pdf

This willbe our default value.

Scenario One Cross Border Trip Per Week in 2014

any day at Peace Arch

Traffic Type 2014 Avg. Delay (Minutes)

NEXUS 1.25

Non-Nexus 16.97

Difference 15.72

Total Trips 52

Total Border Crossings 104

Delay Difference Per Cross 15.72Total Delay Difference in

Minutes 1634.88

Total Delay Difference in Minutes 1634.88

Total Delay Difference in Hours 27.25

Median Cost Per Hour of Delay $17.90

Total Delay Difference Cost $487.78

Other Factors and Benefits

• Vehicle Emissions Reduction• Fuel Savings• Less Time Spent at the Booth• Security Benefits• Staffing Benefits• More Predictable Wait Times• Other NEXUS Benefits (TSA Pre-Check)

Can some of these other benefits be quantified?

Policy Brief

Peace Arch Delays

Buffer Time

Delay Time, Fuel and Emissions

Summary• Even with the rudimentary and conservative

approach in this presentation, the impact of the NEXUS program and the level of time, gas, and emissions savings enjoyed by NEXUS users is significant and can be quantified.

• The benefits of the program impact all border users not just NEXUS cardholders.

• More study is needed at additional crossings and for additional factors.

Thank you!

Christopher DingmanNorthern Border Transportation Specialist

FHWA-Michigan Division(517) 702-1830

christopher.dingman@dot.gov