How accurate are the official border wait times?
CBP and CBSA publish a wait time for each crossing, but drivers often say the line felt longer. We can measure it: when a driver reports their wait on this site, we compare it with the official figure at that moment.
The short answer
Since October 1, 2026, 41% of Windsor-bound driver reports matched the CBSA figure within 10 minutes and 59% saw a longer wait. Detroit-bound, 63% matched CBP.
Into Detroit: driver reports vs CBP
| What drivers saw | Share of reports |
|---|---|
| Within 10 minutes of CBP | 63% |
| More than 10 minutes longer | 34% |
| More than 10 minutes shorter | 3% |
Into Windsor: driver reports vs CBSA
| What drivers saw | Share of reports |
|---|---|
| Within 10 minutes of CBSA | 41% |
| More than 10 minutes longer | 59% |
| More than 10 minutes shorter | 0% |
Why the official number can be off
- Lines change faster than the posted figure. When traffic builds quickly, for example after a game or a holiday weekend, the official number can trail what drivers are living through.
- Canada-bound figures lag the most in our data. Windsor-bound reports disagree with CBSA more often than Detroit-bound reports disagree with CBP.
- Long flat stretches. On busy days we sometimes see the same official number repeated for hours, which suggests it was not being refreshed. On Detroit marathon day the Ambassador Bridge showed exactly 50 minutes into Windsor for five hours straight.
- Where the wait starts. A driver may count from joining traffic on the approach, while an official estimate may not include all of it.
How to get a better estimate
- Look at the driver reports and the “Border Times estimate” on each crossing card, not just the official figure.
- Compare all three crossings on the live page; when one backs up, another is often moving.
- Check the typical wait for the hour you plan to cross and the 7-day forecast.
- In line? Report your wait — every report makes the next driver’s estimate better.
Common questions
Are Canada-bound (CBSA) wait times accurate?
In our data since October 1, 2026, about 41% of drivers heading into Windsor reported a wait within 10 minutes of what CBSA showed, and 59% waited more than 10 minutes longer. CBSA figures can lag the real line, especially when traffic builds quickly.
Are U.S.-bound (CBP) wait times accurate?
In our data, about 63% of drivers heading into Detroit reported a wait within 10 minutes of the CBP figure at the time, and 34% waited more than 10 minutes longer.
What should I do if the official wait looks too low?
Check the driver reports on each crossing card, compare all three crossings, and allow extra time on weekends, holidays and event days, when lines grow faster than the official figures update.
How we measured this
Each driver report is matched with the official passenger-lane wait we recorded closest in time (within 15 minutes) for the same crossing and direction. Reports sent from far away from the border are excluded, and we publish shares, never totals. Official figures come from CBP’s Border Wait Times feed and CBSA’s Border Wait Times data. This site is independent and not affiliated with either agency. See the monthly border reports for more of our data.