ATA Supports End to Mexico/U.S. Cross-border Trucking Dispute

Officials from the American Trucking Association (ATA) congratulated Mexican and American leaders in ending the long-running dispute over cross-border trucking.

ATA president Bill Graves said that after years of delay and untold economic damage, the Obama administration has lived up to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

"Congress put us in this position of violating NAFTA in 2009 by halting a successful pilot program," Graves said at the annual conference. "This short-sighted action led to Mexico raising tariffs on hundreds of products, which we’re thankful to the Mexican government for dropping."

"The trucking provisions of NAFTA should allow for more efficient, safe and secure trade between the U.S. and one of its largest trading partners," Graves went on, before adding that the ATA still has reservations regarding U.S. oversight for Mexican carriers.

Chairman of C.R. England, and incoming ATA chairman, added that "By resolving this dispute, the administration has seen clear to overlook the alarmist and overblown claims by organized labor and alleged ‘safety’ groups to promote open markets for U.S. companies in this time of economic challenge."