CBP Ends "Flying Trucks" Process: Truck Manifest Compliance Rules
Key Points
- CBP has formally determined that the longstanding "Flying Trucks" process violates current regulatory requirements and is ending it.
- The regulatory requirement at issue is 19 CFR 123.92, which requires truck carriers to transmit advance electronic manifest data before arrival at a U.S. port of entry.
- CBP originally launched the "Flying Trucks" workaround in the mid-to-late 2000s to test interoperability between truck eManifest and Multi-Modal Manifest (MMM) systems, and intended to sunset it when MMM was fully implemented in 2009.
- Carriers and brokers still relying on this process must immediately shift to compliant advance electronic manifest filing through the standard truck eManifest system.
On this page
- What the "Flying Trucks" process was
- Why CBP is ending it now
- The controlling regulation: 19 CFR 123.92
- What this means for truck carriers and compliance teams
- What importers and brokers should do
- Key references
CBP has issued CSMS #69657207 announcing the termination of the "Flying Trucks" process, a testing workaround that has remained in use well past its intended end date. Any truck carrier or logistics operation still using this process is now out of compliance with federal advance manifest regulations and must transition immediately to the standard eManifest filing procedure.
The links in this article go to the primary documents: the CSMS message and the Code of Federal Regulations section directly at issue. Read the source.
What the "Flying Trucks" process was
In the mid-to-late 2000s, CBP created the "Flying Trucks" process as an internal testing mechanism to evaluate interoperability between the truck eManifest system and Multi-Modal Manifest (MMM) capabilities. It was never intended as a permanent filing pathway. CBP's own plan called for sunsetting the process once MMM capabilities were fully implemented in 2009. Despite that intended end date, the process continued to be used in practice, and CBP has now moved to formally close it.
Why CBP is ending it now
CBP reviewed the process and determined it is inconsistent with current regulatory requirements. The agency's conclusion is unambiguous: the "Flying Trucks" process violates existing rules. That determination, not a policy preference or a phased transition, is what is driving the termination. Carriers that continue using the process after this notice face exposure to regulatory non-compliance findings.
The controlling regulation: 19 CFR 123.92
19 CFR 123.92 sets out the advance electronic manifest requirement for truck carriers. Under this provision, truck carriers must transmit electronic manifest data to CBP before a conveyance arrives at a U.S. port of entry. The "Flying Trucks" workaround bypassed or altered this standard transmission process, which is why CBP now deems it non-compliant.
What this means for truck carriers and compliance teams
The practical consequence is straightforward: any operational process, software configuration, or carrier arrangement built around the "Flying Trucks" pathway must be discontinued. Carriers need to confirm that their eManifest transmissions flow through the compliant, standard truck eManifest channel and that advance data is submitted in the manner and timeframe 19 CFR 123.92 requires. Trade compliance managers at importing companies that rely on cross-border truck movements should verify with their carriers and freight forwarders that no legacy "Flying Trucks" procedures remain in place.
What importers and brokers should do
- Contact truck carriers and third-party logistics providers to confirm they are no longer using the "Flying Trucks" process and have transitioned to compliant advance eManifest filing.
- Review internal compliance checklists and carrier onboarding procedures to add a verification step confirming 19 CFR 123.92 compliance for all cross-border truck movements.
- Read CSMS #69657207 directly and share it with operations and logistics teams that manage truck carrier relationships.
Key references
- CSMS #69657207 - CBP notice announcing termination of the "Flying Trucks" process and compliance expectations.
- 19 CFR 123.92 - The advance electronic manifest requirement for truck carriers entering the United States.
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