Trucks face holiday delays as DHS issues Code Orange

WASHINGTON, (Dec. 22, 2004) — U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials are warning U.S.-bound passengers and freight carriers they’ll likely experience tighter scrutiny and perhaps lengthy delays at border crossings during the holidays.

The announcement came as the agency raised the national terrorist threat level to Code Orange — the second highest level warning — after officials said yesterday they received information that an attack al-Qaida may be plotting is “perhaps a greater (threat) now than at any point since Sept. 11.”

Trucks — especially tankers and hazmat vehicles — are expected to receive more vigilant scrutiny at the border. Last week DHS distributed a report to Lake Erie-area trucking companies to watch out for what the agency claimed was possible terrorist activity involving trucks in the region.

Checkpoints for trucks throughout several states will also be heightened at bridges and highways over the next two weeks, and many weigh stations across the nation will be open for 24-hour mandatory truck inspections.

— with files from Associated Press