### Tijuana to Expand Medical Pass Offering for Restaurants and Hotels
The city of Tijuana is set to widen the availability of medical passes in the restaurant and hotel sectors, in an effort coordinated by the local Secretariat of Economic Development (Sedeti). This move aims to curb the illicit sale of these passes, which has become a rampant issue on social media platforms, often resulting in prices exceeding $100.
Pedro Montejo Peterson, the head of Sedeti, revealed the recent collaboration between Tijuana’s city council and the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) that will lead to this expansion. Following a formal agreement this past week, the initiative seeks to bolster legitimate access across these sectors. Furthermore, a meeting is scheduled with hotel industry representatives on December 2 to further discuss and streamline these plans.
The intention behind this expansion is not only to combat the black market for medical passes but also to manage traffic congestion at the border. Pass holders from the restaurant and hotel sectors will be encouraged to cross during nighttime hours, relieving potential morning bottlenecks.
Medical passes part of the FastLane program, which allow expedited land crossings to the United States for medical or business tourism, have a formal cost ranging between 389 and 649 pesos. Meanwhile, the city has identified numerous online pages illicitly selling these passes, leading to the removal of 200 companies from the official register, either due to non-existent operations or discrepancies in patient numbers versus passes acquired. Another 200 companies remain under investigation.
### Secondary Article: Technological Solutions to Enhance Border Efficiency
In related news, local authorities are exploring technological upgrades to improve border efficiency. Plans are underway to invest revenue from medical passes into gate rehabilitation, which may include the introduction of automated systems and better surveillance measures to streamline crossings.
Moreover, private security guards are being considered to assist with border monitoring, adding an additional layer of security and efficiency.
This follows recent developments where nearly half of all businesses involved in the medical pass registry were delisted due to irregularities. Such measures underline a city-wide initiative to ensure the legal and efficient use of medical passes, while also addressing broader security and infrastructure needs at Tijuana’s border crossings.
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