Central Transport has received initial approval of its application to join U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) through the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program.

Central Transport is one of the first two trucking candidates to be accepted by U.S. Customs into the FAST program. Additionally, two drivers for Central Transport are the first to receive commercial FAST driver's cards. "We are proud to be a leader among freight service providers in the anti-terrorism initiative at the U.S./Canadian border," said Sandra Villeneuve, president of Custom Service International, a border services agent of Central Transport. "In addition to secure freight handling, we are also able to offer our customers quicker cross border service."
Three months ago, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretein launched C-TPAT as a joint government-business initiative to build cooperative relationships that strengthen overall supply chain and border security. Through this initiative, Customs is asking businesses to ensure the integrity of their security practices and communicate their security guidelines to their business partners within the supply chain.
The FAST program offers participants benefits beyond playing an active role in the war on terrorism by committing to increase security in the supply chain. Other benefits include an expanded opportunity for "low-risk" treatment of freight, an assigned account manager, and eligibility for account-based processes. This translates into an easier process for importing goods and fewer border delays.
The Central Transport brand, marketed by Central Transport International Inc., is a major less-than-truckload (LTL) service reaching across most of North America. The company, based in suburban Detroit, is part of a group of transportation-related companies owned by privately held CenTra Inc., which Forbes ranks among the largest 500 private companies in America.