Boaters encouraged to use OARS replacement, the ROAM app

pWith the height of the boating season having arrived, boaters returning to the U.S. from Canada are encouraged to use the Reporting Offsite Arrival-Mobile phone application to check in with U.S. Customs and Border Protection that replaced the Outlying Area Reporting Stations. /ppThe agency removed the 16 OARS systems across the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shorelines last year and replaced them with the free app, which can be found on Apple’s app store or the Google Play store, to make the reporting process more efficient, said Kurt Tennant, chief Customs officer, in an emailed statement./ppBoaters can also access the ROAM application at one of 25 iPad stations on shore, including stations in Oswego, Sackets Harbor, Clayton, Alexandria Bay, Singer Castle, Morristown, Ogdensburg and Waddington. CBP encourages them to use the app on their phone if access to any of the stations is barred by high water levels on the lake and river. /pp“Recent technological advances enabled the use of mobile technology to make the remote inspection process more efficient and effective for both the private boater and CBP,” Mr. Tennant wrote./ppThe service requires users to create an account to submit necessary information for checking in, such as biographic and citizenship data of the captain and passengers, vessel model and registration and trip details./ppThey can also create save traveler and conveyance profiles to reuse during future voyages, according to agency. Customs officers can use videochat to extend the review. /ppAfter officers complete their examination, boaters will learn about their decision and, if required, any next steps through a push notification and email, according to the agency./ppTrusted traveler card and I-68 landing permits holders may use either the app or call 1-800-827-2851 to report returns from Canada. /ppThe service first launched in 2017 in the in Lake of the Woods Area, Minn., according to the agency./p