Trucking

NAFTA Rules

Staff Report

The long-standing debate over Mexican trucks in the United States has apparently been resolved.

        The U.S. Department of Transportation in March established safety requirements for Mexican motor carriers operating to and from the United States and required that all motor carrier safety inspectors, auditors, and investigators be certified.

        “President Bush and I are committed to extending the benefits of free trade throughout North America while ensuring that a strict and rigorous safety regime is established and enforced,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said. “The steps taken today will help ensure that all trucks, buses and drivers entering the United States from Mexico meet U.S. safety standards and operate safely on U.S. roads when we implement the truck and bus provisions of NAFTA.”

        With the regulatory action, Mexican carriers applying to operate anywhere in the United States will be required to have a distinctive USDOT number, have their vehicles pass a safety inspection, and undergo intensified safety monitoring during an 18-month provisional period, and provide supplemental safety certifications as part of the application process. Mexican commercial vehicles will be permitted to enter the United States only at commercial border crossings and only when a certified motor carrier safety inspector is on duty.

        The regulations also will require Mexican carriers operating in the United States to have a drug and alcohol-testing program, a system of compliance with U.S. federal hours-of-service requirements, adequate data and safety management systems, and valid insurance with a U.S. registered insurance company. The carrier’s ability to meet these requirements will be verified by a safety audit conducted by qualified U.S. inspectors prior to ...

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