Newsletter
DOT Opens Roads to Mexican Trucks and Busses under NAFTA
The Department of Transportation said it would allow Mexican trucks and busses cross-border access into the U.S. once it has reviewed their carrier applications and granted them authority to operate under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). DOT acted in response to President George W. Bush’s revision of the moratorium affecting Mexican motor carriers.
The DOT emphasized that Mexican trucks and busses still would not be allowed to run between points within the U.S.
Mexican trucks should have gained unlimited access to U.S. roads in January, 2000, under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). However, safety considerations caused Congress to block access until specific conditions were met. At the close of 2001, Congress and the White House agreed on safety provisions, which DOT has since worked to implement.
The FMCSA governs the safety of interstate motor carriers. It will give operating authority to Mexican trucks and busses only after they meet all U.S. requirements for safety and insurance. FMCSA will grant qualifying motor carriers provisional operating authority after it reviews individual applications and completes on-site safety audits and other administrative procedures. To date, FMCSA has received applications from 130 motor carriers based in Mexico.
After they are given authority to run in the U.S., Mexican carriers will receive a formal review within 18 months to verify compliance with all laws and regulations. After the provisional operating period, permanent operating authority will be granted to those carriers that maintain acceptable compliance ratings.
While reviewing applications, DOT will work hand in hand with the Office of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and other agencies in an effort to prevent problems affecting national security.
According to DOT Inspector General Kenneth, the DOT has installed inspectors and built facilities to accommodate inspections. In addition, the department has taken steps to make sure vehicles have valid licenses and firms have passed reviews for safety and compliance. Mead said he will continue to oversee how those requirements are met.
At the same time, several groups -- including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen, the Environmental Law Foundation, the California Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and the California Trucking Association -- have petitioned the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to grant an emergency stay. The groups want the court to stop the Bush Administration from approving applications of Mexican-based motor carriers pending a complete review of the trucks’ impact on air quality.
A lawyer for the petitioners said, “The administration is required to first assess the environmental consequences before allowing tens of thousands of these trucks into the American heartland.”
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