As the border that divides Canada and the US has continued to "thicken" with greater security measures since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, scholars Steven Globerman and Paul Storer of Western Washington University have compiled a comprehensive study of how these changes have come to affect the integration of the North American economy. Using time series data on transportation costs, Globerman and Storer have studied various customs districts to analyze what factors have contributed to changes in cost.

This report provides a snapshot of freight transportation activity from a global perspective, highlighting physical characteristics and industry output for the U.S. and other leading world economies.

The next target for stricter emissions controls in the U.S. and Canada could be the trucking industry. BNN speaks to Stephen Blank, professor, Western Washington University, and author, "Freight Trucks and Climate Change Policy." Click here to view video

As the topic of climate change continues to occupy headlines and political rhetoric, specialists in a wider variety of fields have begun to reexamine ways in which their own practices can more effectively mitigate the environmental side effects that result from their business. A recent report entitled, "Freight Trucks and Climate Change Policy: Mitigating C02 Emissions,"published by the Conference Board of Canada's International Trade and Investment Centre and authored by Stephen Blank, a CIGI Senior Fellow and Ross Distinguished Visiting Professor of Canada-US Business and Economic Relations

The Border Barometer, published in February 2010, is a tool developed by Western Washington University's Border Policy Research Institute, and University at Buffalo's Regional Institute of economic activity along the US-Canadian border. Published annually, the Border Barometer serves to provide a clearer understanding of trade and security issues that arise along the border and at individual ports of entry. It is a project funded by the BORDERNET initiative of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Read the Border Barometer

Sponsored in part by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, The North America Works Conference in Kansas City took place from November 4-6, 2009. Bringing together well known academics and practitioners in the field, several sessions were held on topics such as borders, trade, transportation and other pressing issues involving Canada, the US, and Mexico. The conference featured Dr. Stephen Blank, Co-Chair of the North American Transportation Competitiveness Research Council who is also a CIGI Senior Fellow and a member of the Portal for North America's Steering Committee.

Recent activity by the Obama administration points to the possibility of a breakthrough in the ongoing cross-border trucking dispute between Mexico and the United States.  Following his two-day visit to Mexico on February 8 and 9, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk had optimistic predictions for the settlement of the dispute.  In an interview with Reuters, the Representative noted that President Obama had successfully persuaded Congress to remove a clause in the 2010 appropriations bill that had effectively prohibited the movement of Mexican transport trucks into the United Sta

Toyota Motor Corporation is the latest automotive maker to be confronted with production woes; unlike several of its competitors however, it is not centred on a bailout. The massive Toyota recall which has captured the attention of consumers, as well as transportation regulators, began in 2009 and has since grown to include 270,000 vehicles in Canada and 2.3 million in the United States. Several problems have been identified in recent months, from poorly fitted floor mats which threaten to jam pedals, to defective accelerator pedals that stick and cause sudden, unintended acceleration.

To build a better understanding of what is happening in North America in the classroom, our newest Teaching Modules highlight ongoing and emerging issues in the North American context: The North American Free Trade Agreement and North AmericaCase Study and Teaching Note by Stephen Blank    

On Sunday, December 26, 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigeria-born Al Queda operative was charged with the attempted destruction of a Detroit-bound airliner. The Associated Press has discovered that US Government officials were actually warned of Abdulmutallab's risk by his father a month before the planned attack.