Alaska has become the final state in a group of US land border ports to become part of a national testing program for automated truck manifest data, according to information published in the Federal Register September 20.
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in conjunction with the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is currently conducting the national customs automation program.
The CBP earlier designated the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system as the approved interchange and announced it would be phased in by groups of ports of entry:
•October 27, 2006, CBP identified all land border ports in the states of Washington and Arizona and the ports of Pembina, Neche, Walhalla, Maida, Hannah, Sarles, and Hansboro in North Dakota as the first group of ports where use of the system was mandated 90 days after the announcement.
•January 19, 2007, after 90 days, use of ACE became mandatory at all land border ports in the states of California, Texas and New Mexico.
•February 23, 2007, after 90 days, the ACE Truck Manifest System became mandatory at all land border ports in Michigan and New York.
•April 13, 2007, after 90 days, the system became mandatory at all land border ports in Vermont and New Hampshire, and at the land border ports in North Dakota at which ACE had not been required by any previous notice.
•May 8, 2007, after 90 days, the ACE Truck Manifest System will be mandatory at all land border ports in the states of Idaho and Montana.