Truckers crossing the border from Mexico have loads of stories — some believable and others somewhat incredible — about the long waits at such busy crossings as Laredo, Texas, or Otay Mesa, Calif. Now, a federal report indicates some of those tall tales are true and says government agencies are, at least in part, to blame.
The General Accounting Office sifted through mounds of papers and sent staff members down to the U.S.-Mexico border to see the logjam of trucks for themselves. The researchers found a booming trade between the two countries, but uncoordinated government efforts to improve the flow of truck traffic through border inspection sites.
GAO’s report, “Better Planning Coordination Needed to Handle Growing Commercial Traffic,” examined commercial vehicle traffic from September 1998 through December 1999, looking at such factors as programs, interagency coordination, funding and other aspects contributing to the long lines.One of the conclusions that lawmakers garnered from the inquiry: Truckers can blame their woes as well as their good fortune on the North American Free Trade Agreement, which won U.S. approval in 1994.
The accord has resulted in explosive trade with Mexico. In 1992, U.S. commerce with its southern neighbor was worth $75.8 billion. By 1998, that figure had ballooned by 129% to $173.4 billion, with 4 million trucks crossing the border carrying 75% of the tonnage, the report noted.
For the full story, see the Apr. 24 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
