Canadian truck drivers hope the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card will meet the US requirement for hazardous materials background checks, according to information from the Ontario, Canada, Trucking Association (OTA).
The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program allows US/Canada and US/Mexico partnering importers expedited border crossing for qualifying commercial shipments. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has long lobbied the United States for the FAST card to be accepted as security identification for Canada's hazmat drivers.
"While final acceptance by the United States Government has not been finalized nor is it guaranteed, the Government of Canada is confident that the FAST card will meet the US Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) requirements for background checks for dangerous goods drivers," according to Transport Canada information released by OTA.
US drivers, either applying for or renewing a hazardous materials endorsement on commercial driver licenses, are required to undergo a background security check. A phase in of the process for US drivers began in May 2005, and Canadian drivers who transport product into the United States have until August 10, 2006, to comply. In order to meet the Canadian August 10 deadline, and with four to six weeks processing time required to obtain a card, CTA and Transport Canada are urging carriers to have their hazmat drivers enrolled in the FAST program. For more information about the FAST program, click here for the Transport Canada Web site.