How OpenTrack solves rail border crossing compliance
OpenTrack's Border Crossing Visibility feature automatically captures exact "Border Crossing Arrival/Departed" rail events and delivers them in machine-readable format, eliminating manual log-scrubbing from Railinc, CN, and CP systems.
Here’s why top forwarders trust OpenTrack to power their cross-border workflows to drive down risk, time, and cost and free up their teams for more heads-up work.
What OpenTrack provides
- Precise timestamps when trains physically cross US-Canada borders
- FIRMS-coded terminal locations for compliance requirements
- Real-time data delivery that prevents late filing penalties
- Audit-ready documentation with GPS stamps and location codes
Compliance workflows OpenTrack supports
- U.S. Electronic Export Information (EEI/AES) filings
- ACE in-bond-closure messages (CBP Form 7512)
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) ACI/eManifest and CERS export declarations
The problem OpenTrack eliminates
Financial risk without automation
Every container crossing the US-Canada rail border exposes you to:
- U.S. Civil Penalties: $1,100 per day to $10,000 per incident
- Canadian AMPS Tickets: CA $500 - $8,000
- Repeat Violations: Liquidated damage claims exceeding $2,000 per container
Current manual process costs
- Late arrival/export EDI messages are the most common AES compliance alert
- Manual data entry creates 0.5-4% error rates
- Mid-sized forwarders (3,000 containers/year) could lose up to $300,000+ in penalties plus $35,000 in labor costs
How OpenTrack cuts down on risk, time, and cost
Compliance made automatic
OpenTrack eliminates the risk of late filings by providing border crossing data in real-time. A single avoided CBSA C378 ticket ($2,000 CAD) more than covers your visibility cost while preserving your already-thin container margins.
From hours to seconds
What used to require 10 minutes of manual timestamp hunting per container (~$12 in labor) becomes a single CSV export (or even better, a touchless automation). OpenTrack transforms hours of detective work across carrier systems into automated data delivery.
Audit-proof documentation
When customs auditors request proof of export, OpenTrack provides immediate CSV exports with GPS timestamps and FIRMS codes. This eliminates disputes, liquidated damage petitions, and satisfies both §18.1(j) record-keeping requirements and CBSA D3/D20 retention rules.
Straight-through processing
Clients with native ACE or CERS connectivity can map OpenTrack event IDs directly to their "ARR," "EXP," or "Proof of Report" messages, enabling fully automated filing without human intervention.
Additional OpenTrack benefits
Enhanced visibility
- Real-time shipper updates confirming cargo has officially crossed borders
- Incoterms handoff support with precise timing data
- Cargo insurance trigger documentation
Financial recovery tools
- Duty drawback support with accurate export dates that start refund clocks
- Foreign Trade Zone compliance for removal documentation
- Liquidated damage prevention through timely, accurate filings
Bottom line
OpenTrack's Border Crossing Visibility converts a six-figure annual compliance liability into a negligible operational cost by automating the most error-prone and time-intensive aspect of rail border crossing compliance.
