U.S. rolls out safety proposal for Mexican carriers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 3, 2001) — The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants Mexican trucking companies — including those that currently operate along the international border — to prove their understanding of federal safety regulations and undergo a safety audit in order to operate in the United States.

The proposed rules were published today in the Federal Register. They are divided into three parts: safety standards for carriers that want to operate in the interior of the United States, standards for Mexican carriers that want to serve areas along the border, and a plan to create a safety monitoring and compliance system for Mexican companies operating anywhere in the U.S.

Currently, most Mexican trucking operations are limited to municipal areas and commercial zones along the border. Earlier this year, a NAFTA panel ruled that the U.S. is violating the agreement by restricting Mexican trucks from operating beyond commercial zones near the U.S.-Mexico border. The United States said it would lift the restrictions starting Jan. 1, 2002, provided that Mexican carriers meet certain safety standard.

Under NAFTA, Mexican carriers were scheduled to have complete access to the United States starting in December 1995.

FMCSA chief administrator Julie Anna Cirillo said most Mexican trucking operations she has visited see their immediate opportunities limited by cabotage rules and their limited relationships with shippers who can offer freight for the return trip to Mexico. She predicted that most of the traffic, at least initially, will be to and from U.S. ports, particularly in California.

The FMCSA estimates that it will receive anywhere between 5000 and 15,000 applications for operating authority in the first year.

(Source: Truckinginfo.com)