How border wait times are calculated
Garitas shows CBP information for Mexico or Canada crossings into the United States. Each number is identified as a current reading, an earlier observation or a historical reference. Here is how to use it when choosing your crossing and departure time.
Content reviewed by the Garitas team on September 29, 2026.
Source and synchronization time
Current waits and status come from CBP Border Wait Times. “Synced” means when Garitas received a reading for the port; it is not a confirmed CBP publication time. Server-rendered timestamps include the crossing time zone; where applicable, the browser displays the same instant in your local time. Operating hours come from the CBP report and can differ by access or lane.
A current reading is not a prediction
A reading received more than 30 minutes ago is no longer treated as current. We also detect values unchanged for at least an hour that substantially contradict the latest available hourly observation. We then show an earlier observation with its time or a labeled typical reference. Missing data never means a zero-minute wait; a category that does not apply is not a closure.
What “typical” means
CBP supplies hourly profiles with averages and ranges for each weekday. We select the corresponding weekday profile; if it is missing, a recent alternative may appear with its date visible. This reference is not presented as a reading from today. Hours use the crossing time zone, and closed hours or invalid values are excluded.
How we choose the best hour
For each weekday we use the newest profile received within the last 14 days. We select the open hour with the lowest average, breaking ties by the lower maximum and then the earlier hour. We show coverage across seven weekdays and label profiles older than a week. The window is not an average of every reading over 14 days.
How SENTRI, NEXUS or Ready Lane savings are calculated
Within a 56-day window, we compare General with the alternative lane at the same hour in the same profile. A lane needs at least eight valid matched pairs, evidence of activity and a mean saving of five minutes to appear. The main figure averages the differences; the peak is the largest mean difference by hour. The calculation does not establish your eligibility to use the lane.
Holidays and comparisons between crossings
When a supported holiday has data, we show what was reported during the same week of the previous year, with the year and period identified. Crossing comparisons use the same mode and lane; a typical reference is not declared the winner over a current reading. Wait times exclude your travel, queues before the measurement point and possible operational changes. Check CBP and the crossing status before leaving.