USDOT Region V Regional University Transportation Center

The NEXTRANS Center hosted a one-day conference on U.S./Canada border trade, security, and transportation issues at Purdue University on November 16, 2009. This event brought together active researchers from both U.S. and Canada and engaged them in a dialogue with stakeholders in the private sector and all levels of government.

Greg Nadeau, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) delivered the keynote address. Robert Noble, Canadian Consul General, Detroit and Kevin Johnson, U.S. Consul General, Toronto spoke on the significance of a seamless and secure border with regards to bi-lateral trade between the two countries. Speaking on security aspects was Paul Haddow, Director General, Strategic Policy and Governance, Canada Border Services Agency. Industry presenters included David Bradley, CEO, Canadian Trucking Association and Steve Russell, representing the American Trucking Association. A number of additional border trade, security, and mobility experts from the public, private, and academic sectors joined them to discuss:

• Major challenges and opportunities to achieve the right balance between trade goals and security needs from the perspectives of the U.S. and Canadian Governments;

• Regional strategies for developing major gateways and corridors with collaborations between transportation stakeholders at the Federal and State/Provincial levels;

• The “thickening” of the border from the perspective of manufacturers and carriers and the feasibility of short and near-term measures by border agencies;

• How academia can fill the data and information gaps to facilitate integrated, coordinated and performance based operation and governance of the border region; and

• Short, medium and long-term opportunities for collaboration and joint actions between government, industry and academia in the region and between the two countries.

Photo:  FHWA Administrator Gregory Nadeau speaks at NEXTRANS Conference

Please visit http://www.nextrans.org/conference to view complete agenda and conference presentations.