Negotiations continue on cross-border trucking program with Mexico

Washington – Negotiators from the United States and Mexico continue to work to resolve a cross-border long-haul trucking dispute, White House officials announced March 3.

A fact sheet from the Office of the Press Secretary outlines the cross-border program and states President Barack Obama and President Felipe Calderon directed the creation of a high-level regulatory cooperation council tasked with collaborating on cross-border regulations. Once a final agreement is reached, Mexico will suspend its retaliatory tariffs imposed after the United States ended a cross-border pilot project in 2009.

Members of the Grain Valley, MO-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association expressed outrage at the agreement, stating in a press release that the decision by the Obama administration to open up U.S. highways to Mexican trucks after the country imposed retaliatory tariffs would destroy small trucking companies. Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA, called Mexico’s tariffs an “economic bullying tactic” that should not be tolerated.

The Arlington, VA-based American Trucking Associations said it supports the agreement, which so far upholds previous requirements for Mexican trucks to meet safety standards to operate on U.S. highways.