The American Trucking Associations supports the Bush administration's move to implement the safe, efficient, and secure flow of cargo across the border between United States and Mexico, as required by the North American Free Trade Agreement.
A February 23 announcement by US Secretary of Transportation Mary E Peters and Mexican Secretary of Communications and Transportation Luis Téllez implements NAFTA's access provisions with a limited one-year pilot program. According to the US Department of Transportation, Mexican carriers operating in the United States must comply with all the safety, environmental, insurance, homeland security and other regulatory requirements US carriers meet.
Mexican carriers must apply and receive authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration before operating in the United States, and will be allowed to transport only international cargo, not US domestic cargo. Mexican carriers must prove they have insurance coverage and pay all state and federal operational taxes and registration fees that are applicable to US carriers, according to DOT.
US and Mexican officials announced February 22 that truck safety inspectors working for FMCSA will be able to travel in Mexico to conduct safety audits of carriers seeking to operate in the United States, as required by Congress, indicating that both governments are committed to safety in cross-border trucking operations.