Feds announce updated hours at four ports of entry on northern border

Changes in the hours of operations are coming to four U.S. northern border ports of entry.

According to a new release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the four locations with shifting operating hours will be:

• Del Bonita, Mont.
• North Troy, Vt.
• West Berkshire, Vt.
• Laurier, Wash.

Two of the locations, the North Troy and West Berkshire ports of entry in Vermont, will both increase to 24 hours of operation seven days a week. Both ports of entry will now align with the Canada Border Services Agency’s hours of operation.

The Del Bonita, Mont., port of entry will resume operations on weekends. The port will now be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.

The Laurier, Wash., port of entry will see its hours of operations extend by two hours at the end of the workday and will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The new hours will take effect at the locations beginning April 15.

The change to operating hours is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to “use its resources responsibly and most efficiently.” Part of those efforts, according to Customs and Border Protection, includes “continual evaluations of workload, staffing, operating costs, and traffic volumes were performed to align operating hours that reflect traffic patterns and place employees where they can be most useful.”

The agency says there has been a “documented reduction in privately-owned vehicle and pedestrian traffic” at certain ports of entry along the northern border. In late March, Customs and Border Protection announced changes to the hours of operations at four other northern ports of entry.

“CBP continues to work with Canada Border Services Agency to address shared concerns along the northern border and will continue to evaluate traffic volumes and other relevant data points when making decisions related to hours of operation and staffing,” the agency said in a statement. “These efforts enable CBP to better align staffing during peak hours, which in turn, allows CBP to better serve the public and complete its border security mission.”

A complete list of U.S. border ports of entry along with their operating hours can be found here. LL