Delay Seen for Mexican Truck Access

The opening of the southern U.S. border to Mexican trucks is likely to be delayed until sometime in mid-summer as a result of safety measures ordered by Congress late last year.

President Bush is not expected to lift a Clinton-era moratorium on opening the border to Mexican trucks until Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta certifies that the U.S. has complied with congressionally mandated safety requirements. Mineta’s decision will be based in large part on a report by the DOT Inspector General that is due by June 15.

David Longo, spokesman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the agency that regulates U.S. trucking safety, said the U.S. will need nearly a month to process applications and conduct safety audits of Mexican carriers after Mineta certifies that Mexican carriers can operate safely in the U.S.

For the full story, see the May 13 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

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