Mexican Hazmat Carriers Barred from DOT-Proposed Program

A new Obama Administration proposal to allow Mexican trucks to operate throughout the United States drew a lukewarm response from many in the trucking industry. A concept document outlining a framework for the new program was released January 6. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the document will serve as a starting point to renew the cross-border program for Mexican truckers that was canceled in March 2009. Negotiations with the Mexico government are still to come, and no target date for implementation has been suggested at this point. The initial cross-border trucking program was launched in 2007 by the Bush Administration to comply with requirements under the North American Free Trade Agreement (javascript:void(0)NAFTA). Under that pilot program, Mexican carriers had to register their vehicles with the U.S. government and up to 100 Mexican fleets could operate at any given time inside the United States. Mexico’s government reciprocated by allowing a small number of U.S. carriers to operate inside Mexico. Read more here.