A total of 13 carriers have been granted provisional or standard operating authority to continue to operate in the U.S. following completion of a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) pilot program to evaluate the ability of Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate safely in the U.S. beyond the municipalities and commercial zones along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently completed a three-year trucking pilot program with Mexico. The purpose of the program was to evaluate the safety of cross-border long-haul operations, with 13 carriers participating in the program. Prior to making any additional determinations regarding cross-border trucking issues or specific carriers, the DOT will await expected reports on the pilot program from the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and the DOT Inspector General. In the interim, based upon successful completion of the program, as well as a review of safety and inspection data collected during the program, the DOT has converted the 13 participants to provisional or standard operating authority, allowing those carriers to continue to operate in the U.S.
The 13 pilot carriers from Mexico will continue to undergo regular border inspections and be subject to all U.S. motor carrier laws and regulations, according to Duane DeBruyne, spokesman for FMCSA.
Companies shipping to/from Mexico are advised to ensure their 3PL is using the right carriers to move freight in and out of Mexico, according to Transportation Insight, a global, non-asset-based 3PL provider.
