Alejandro Gonzalez Guilbot, who is the Director of the Customs Office in Tijuana, talked about the new collaboration efforts between this institution and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where they will open up four lanes- which are used to be for commercial vehicles only- and will now serve as inspection lanes for passenger vehicles.

Gonzalez said that this strategy will begin on Sunday July 28, and will be repeated every Sunday until September 29. Also, on the U.S. Labor Day holiday (September 2), and on the Mexican Independence Day (September 16), these lanes will be opened as well. The schedule of this special service will from 5pm to 10 pm, after commercial vehicles have been processed.

These temporary stations will also provide other services that CBP performs like issuing I-94 permits, and the inspections of food products and plants from agricultural specialists.

"This is certainly a great effort made by the customs agencies of both borders, in order to reduce the traffic that historically has been experienced throughout these dates", said Gonzalez.

These actions are proof of the great collaboration between both agencies, highlighting the improvements in operations of the Customs Office in Tijuana.

So far, under the administration of Alejandro Gonzalez Guilbot, two other modules were enabled for certified companies, which have helped streamline complex operations that have achieved in processing up to 600 commercial trucks per day.

Meanwhile, Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego said, "We are pleased that these commercial facilities can be used efficiently and safely to temporarily increase the number of passenger vehicle lanes to the United States. "

Brenda.Colon@Sandiegored.com

Omar.Martinez@Sandiegored.com