CVISN provides New Mexico with the opportunity to enter into the national arena of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)/Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO) through work that the ATR Institute (ATRI) commenced in January 1999 through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Joint Programs Office. The CVISN Project meets the requirements for the congressionally earmarked research funding to the ATRI for border technology efforts at the Santa Teresa international border crossing between Mexico and New Mexico. During construction and completion in 2002 of New Mexico’s new port-of-entry (POE) facility at Santa Teresa, ATRI developed and tested new ITS safety and permitting systems for commercial vehicles.

Customs Facility at Santa Teresa, New Mexico

Since the opening of the POE facility at Santa Teresa, ATRI has been conducting an Assessment of the Commercial Vehicle Traffic in New Mexico by tracking goods transported by commercial vehicles in and through the State, as well as the commercial vehicle traffic entering New Mexico from an international gateway. The ATRI is using data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety to create a standardized database of commercial vehicle traffic in the state that includes safety records, routes, days and times of travel, the kinds and dollar values of goods, and the geographical destination of goods. ATRI is also conducting a Border Index Study that compares the commercial vehicle traffic in and through New Mexico with the commercial vehicle traffic carried in and through Arizona, California, and Texas. Data is used from USDOT statistics as well as those from the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Census Bureau. These two studies have implications in New Mexico for the arenas of greater economic development and improved commercial vehicle transportation policy and fee structure.

As early steps in this process, ATRI’s project manager for the Border Technology and ITS/CVO Program served for two years as the State of New Mexico’s CVISN Project Facilitator/Administrator on the State’s CVISN Project Team. ATRI also managed the Border Technology and ITS/CVO Program. For the period July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2001, the Institute’s work plan, included the following tasks and milestones:

• Certification in USDOT/Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) ITS/CVO Architecture Training.

• Participated in planning sessions for the Western Workshop Series sponsored by the FHWA.

• Assisted New Mexico’s Department of Transportation, Public Safety, and Taxation and Revenue in updating the State’s ITS/CVO Business Plan.

• Assisted state agencies in the development of a CVISN Project Plan that will serve as a blueprint for meeting the federal Transportation Efficiency Act goal of fully deploying CVISN Level 1 by September 30, 2003.

• Provided project management for the Electronic Trip Permit and Safety Checking System Project at the Santa Teresa Border Crossing/Anthony POE.

• Determined user requirements for the Electronic Credentialing and Safety Checking System.

• Prepared the conceptual design of the Electronic Credentialing and Safety Checking System.

The ATRI continues to facilitate New Mexico’s efforts to implement the provisions of the ITS/CVO Business Plan and become a CVISN Level 1 State.