CBP Anticipates More Traffic At Border Crossings As School Year Begins

EL PASO, TEXAS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials warn border crossers to expect more traffic at area ports of entry as school starts for thousands of area students.

Large numbers of students who attend classes at UTEP, El Paso Community College and various private and public schools in El Paso commute from Mexico to the U.S. on a daily basis.

This increase in traffic, especially during the traditionally busy morning commute, can result in longer than normal crossing times.

Construction at the Paso Del Norte bridge has reduced the number of lanes available for people to cross the border in vehicles, officials said.

However, CBP officials will once again staff a dedicated student pedestrian lane at the busy Downtown port. The specially designated lane was launched in the spring of 2007 and attracted approximately 1,000 to 1,200 student users per day.

CBP carefully monitors border wait times, which are gathered and posted hourly at the CBP website at http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/. Officials say being prepared for the inspection process by having documents ready for the CBP officer, declaring all items acquired in Mexico, and ending cell phone conversations before arriving at the inspection station can also reduce wait times.