Border Delays and Economic Impact to the Freight Sector: An Exploration of the El Paso Ports of Entry

Researchers examined the trading and commodity profiles of El Paso ports of entry to try to understand the economic implications of delays in the border-crossing process. The team conducted an exhaustive literature review, examined trends and commodity profiles in El Paso-Juarez, and then developed a generic framework to address the implications of border-related delays. Researchers developed the direct cost estimation tool (DCET), an interactive spreadsheet tool that allows users to analyze how various freight performance measures may be quantified in terms of economic effects on freight industry players such as shippers and carriers. The research showed that direct costs of variability could be high for those in the just-in-time systems and more than twice the cost of salaries and other operating costs. Moreover, the report suggests that economic costs and economic implications are important and can be significant.