by Julian Aguilar
The Texas Tribune
U.S. and Mexico have inked a deal that marks the end of a years-long dispute over how far past the border long-haul tractor-trailers can travel.
Currently tractor-trailers entering the U.S. from Mexico are limited to traveling within a 20 to 25-mile radius of ports of entry, as are U.S. trucks traveling into Mexico. That comes despite the cross-border, long-haul trucking program included as an original provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement signed in 1994.
A pilot project launched in 2007 was suspended in 2009, which led the Mexican government to place costly tariffs on more than $2 billion in U.S. goods. Today’s agreement means those tariffs will be gradually eliminated, with 50 percent being rescinded in the first 10 days, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“The new program puts safety first and paves the way for Mexico to lift tariffs it imposed more than two years ago. Pursuant to an agreement signed by the United States Trade Representative and the Secretaría de Economía of the United Mexican States, Mexico will soon lift retaliatory tariffs on more than $2 billion in U.S. manufactured goods and agricultural products, providing opportunities to increase U.S. exports to Mexico and expanding job creation in the U.S.,” the statement continues.
Mexican authorities say the remaining tariffs will be suspended 10 days after the first Mexican truck is granted provisional authority to operate on U.S. roadways. A DOT official who spoke on background said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would begin receiving applications from carriers now that the Federal Register Notice is public. Applicants would then be subject to FMCSA’s application-review process and other requirements before they would receive provisional operating authority.
Under the guidelines, Mexican trucks must contain electronic-monitoring systems to ensure hours-of-service requirements. English-language tests and drug screenings will also be a requirement for applicants seeking greater access to U.S. roadways.
The move drew the chagrin of truckers’ unions, who have lashed out at the proposal since it was given new life earlier this year.
