Abstract
Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) technology was implemented at land-border ports to support the International Trade Data System’s (ITDS’s) vision of nonstop paperless border processing. Subsequent evaluation concluded that the implemented DSRC systems inadequately supported the ITDS objectives. Consequently, alternative technologies were assessed that could support multimodal border processing. Alternative technologies considered are divided into two main categories: (a) short-range systems that include laser, radio frequency, and automated teller machine (ATM) technologies and (b) wide-area systems that include cellular telephony, radio data network services, and satellite communications. The names of the companies proposing technologies still in development were withheld. The data indicate that several widely used and off-the-shelf technologies, such as Qualcomm, Type II transponders, and ATM systems, are capable of only partially supporting the functional requirements of ITDS border processing. A proposal that combines cellular and radio-frequency technology, which came closest to satisfying the ITDS requirements, is still new and untested. It was found that short-range technology is inadequate for supporting sea and air transportation modes. Wide-area systems are costlier and are incapable of supporting lane discrimination and automatic decision and exit notification at land-border ports without the support of other on-board short-range automatic vehicle identification devices. On the basis of the findings, the solution that combines cellular and radio-frequency technology seems to address most of the ITDS border processing requirements and may merit further consideration.
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