Simulation and Evaluation of International Border Crossing Clearance Systems: A Canadian Case Study

This paper presents the development of a framework for the evaluation of commercial vehicle border preinspection systems. The evaluation framework consists of accounts that are described by several measures of effectiveness (MOEs). A discrete-event simulation model was developed to provide the main source of input for the calculation of the MOEs. In a case study of a hypothetical preinspection system for commercial vehicles entering Canada from the United States, 10 scenarios of varying degrees of preinspection system implementations were tested with the simulation model. The scenarios consisted of varying degrees of industry and agency participation rates and comprised the application of rules and corresponding parameter settings of the hypothetical implementations of the border preinspection system. The case study evaluation resulted in increases in the efficiencies of border operations and increases in industry and agency participation.