August 16, 2007 

Survey Reveals Overall Low CBP Officer Satisfaction with ACE Truck Manifest Capabilities 

The following was posted on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

Results from a recent survey of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers using the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) reveal low satisfaction with ACE truck processing capabilities due to problems with system reliability, data errors, and insufficient real-time help. These ACE capabilities, currently in use at 95 of the nation’s 99 land border ports, consolidate previously separate cargo release systems into a primary officer interface, and allow truck carriers to prepare and submit electronic truck manifests (e-Manifests), which are pre-screened to ensure the security of incoming cargo. 

According to the voluntary survey, completed April 1-June 19, 2007, by 139 CBP officers in Arizona, Washington, and eastern North Dakota, 25 percent of respondents are satisfied with ACE response time, and 23 percent of respondents are satisfied with the system’s reliability due to outages. Thirty percent of respondents were satisfied with data accuracy, citing communications problems with the Automated Commercial System (ACS) and software defects or “bugs.” Overall, 22 percent of officers said ACE made them more confident of their decisions to release trucks. Only 14 percent of respondents rely on the ACE Help Desk due to slow response or long wait times on “hold.” Twenty-six percent of respondents agree that the ACE reports function is useful. 

Overall, 38 percent of officers reported that their satisfaction had increased over the past year, compared with 21 percent whose satisfaction decreased. Compared to a similar survey conducted in 2005, the overall satisfaction of CBP officers with ACE truck processing capabilities has improved four points to 36 percent. Forty-nine percent of respondents agreed that processing trucks at the primary booth is faster in ACE than ACS, and 22 percent of respondents commented that e-Manifests speed truck processing. Based on data previously collected by CBP in March 2007, the average processing time for an e-Manifest was 33.2 seconds faster than a traditional paper manifest. 

“We initiated this user survey as part of continuous improvement efforts. Clearly, the results show we have more work to do to ensure that ACE truck capabilities are meeting the needs of front line officers,” said Louis Samenfink, executive director for the CBP Cargo Systems Program Office. “CBP is committed to improving officer satisfaction and confidence with the ACE system.” 

Samenfink noted that CBP continues to fine-tune ACE to reduce system down-time and is working aggressively to resolve system defects. During the survey period, the agency was performing computer hardware upgrades that slowed system processing during periods of peak user demand. Since the completion of these upgrades, officers at several ports have indicated that ACE processing speed is exceptional. A recent consolidation of system databases has also addressed previous system problems that often necessitated multiple system queries to obtain truck-related information in ACE. Now, ACE is consistently providing officers with immediate access to cargo, crew, and conveyance data on a truck when it arrives at the primary inspection booth. 

CBP has also developed a portal-generated “cover sheet” that can be used as proof of filing an e-Manifest and should facilitate cargo processing in the event of system difficulties. Finally, the implementation of a new ACE reporting tool should make generating reports within the ACE Secure Data Portal faster and easier for CBP users. The agency continues to improve this new reporting tool. 

CBP is taking steps to improve the availability and responsiveness of ACE truck manifest user support by increasing the number of customer support staff. To further reduce caller wait times, the ACE Help Desk plans to refer more complex inquiries to support specialists from the ACE Account Services Desk so that help desk phone lines remain open to serve more users. Automated response recordings will also be used to provide alerts about system problems so that callers can quickly obtain information about the nature and duration of any system problems.