Thirty private sector and government stakeholders would reimburse U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for providing additional cross-border trade and travel inspection services under tentative partnership agreements announced on Tuesday.
The Reimbursable Services Program (RSP) was launched in 2013 in response to record increases in travelers and cargo entering the United States. The program enables partners to reimburse the CBP for additional customs, immigration, agricultural process, border security and facility services to reduce traveler and cargo wait times at border crossings.
“Each year, the number of travelers CBP welcomes to the United States and the amount of cargo we process increases, and it’s innovative solutions like the Reimbursable Services Program that allows us to keep pace while ensuring the safety and security of the American people,” Acting CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said. “The selection of these new partners reinforces CBP’s commitment to supporting opportunities for economic advancement and increased service.”
CBP services in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Saipan, South Carolina, Texas and Washington under partnership agreements announced on Tuesday.
The CBP has entered into RSP partnership agreements with 60 stakeholders since 2013. The CBP has logged 355,000 hours of service processing more than 7.8 million travelers and approximately 1 million personal and commercial vehicles through those partnerships.