US, Mexico Agree to Cross-Border Trucking Program

July 6, 2011

Agreements resolving the dispute over long-haul, cross-border trucking services between the United States and Mexico were signed today, announced U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Mexico will lift retaliatory tariffs, imposed two years ago, on more than $2 billion in U.S. manufactured goods and agricultural products, providing opportunities to increase U.S. exports to Mexico.

Mexican tariffs ranging from five to 25 percent on an U.S. agricultural and industrial products such as apples, certain pork products, and personal care products would be immediately cut in half and will disappear entirely within a few months.

Trucks will be required to comply with all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and must have electronic monitoring systems to track hours-of-service compliance.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will review the complete driving record of each driver and require all drug testing samples to be analyzed in Department of Health and Human Services-certified laboratories. The Department will also require drivers to undergo an assessment of their ability to understand English and U.S. traffic signs.

The new agreement also ensures that Mexico will provide reciprocal authority for U.S. carriers to engage in cross-border long-haul operations into that country.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation