After Legal Wrangling, Mexican Trucks Ready to Roll Into U.S.

Long-haul Mexican trucks may begin rolling into the U.S. as early as this week, after a U.S. appeals court late last Friday denied an emergency petition to block the trucks from delivering in the U.S. The petition, filed by the Teamsters' Union together with the Sierra Club and the consumer group Public Citizen, sought to halt the start of a one-year pilot program to allow trucks from Mexico to deliver shipments throughout the U.S. Currently, Mexican trucks must off-load their shipments to U.S. trucks on crossing the border.

The U.S. Transportation Department applauded the appeals court's decision, which it said would benefit consumers by allowing direct shipments from Mexico. Congress approved the initiative last year after years of political wrangling.

The petitioners sought to halt the initiative on the grounds that the pilot program did not meet Congress's requirements for safety and other standards. The appeals court ruled that the program did meet safety standards. The Teamster's Union and Public Citizen reportedly plan to continue with a broader-based suit filed in federal court-but that case is not likely to be decided before next year.

The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) approved access for ground shipments among the NAFTA countries. However, the trucking provision between the U.S. and Mexico has never been implemented. Under NAFTA guidelines, Mexico must offer U.S. trucks similar access to Mexico-but regulators don't anticipate that being a problem.

There are no restrictions on trucking between the U.S. and Canada, the other partner in the NAFTA agreement.

Best Regards,

Suzan Haskins
Editor, Mexico Insider
International Living

P.S. Cars have been traveling freely across the U.S.-Mexico border for years-it's one of Mexico's many pluses as a second-home and retirement destination. If you're considering Mexico, there's one resource you can't do without.