Transcore to supply RFID system for FAST

The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection will use the eGo radio frequency identification (RFID) system as the standard tag for the FAST (Free and Secure Trade) expedited border clearance program. eGo was developed by TransCore; the Dallas-based company will deliver more than 170,000 eGo tags and driver ID cards, as well as install inspection booth reader equipment for more than 99 FAST lanes at 22 border crossings.

Upon FAST approval, carriers are given eGo windshield sticker tags to mount in trucks and drivers are administered an eGo ID card. A wireless RFID reader recognizes the unique ID number encoded into both the windshield sticker tag and the driver’s card and associates this information with import, carrier, and driver information already submitted to the system electronically. Inspectors can see whether the truck is or is not FAST compliant, fees have been paid, and a digital image of the driver along with biographical information.

The tag itself is paper-thin, RF-programmable, flexible, and battery-free. It has a read-range of 5 meters and a 1,024-bit memory. The sticker tag is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, sunlight, humidity, and vibration. The tag can include a tamper-resistant option, and control numbers and markings may be custom-colour printed on the outside of each tag, such as the U.S./Canada FAST logo. www.transcore.com