ISSUES that have arisen about Mexican trucks entering the United States were among the updates presented by Darrell Ruban of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at the Dairy Distribution and Fleet Management Conference March 28-31 in San Antonio, Texas.
Ruban pointed out that DOT's latest effort to start a year-long pilot program that grants Mexican carriers US access has met considerable opposition. Cross-border access is called for in the North American Free Trade Agreement, but was blocked by Congress and President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Congress has been debating the issue, and advocacy groups, such as Public Citizen, are opposing the pilot program.
“This is a hot bed of political issues,” he said. “Some in Congress want the program slowed down, or stopped.”
DOT said earlier that 100 Mexican trucking companies will be allowed to make deliveries beyond the 20-25 mile commercial zones currently in place along the US Southwest border. Ruban said that Mexico is expected to make its decision later this year on how many US carriers will be granted similar operation in Mexico.
“FMCSA is moving forward until told otherwise,” Ruban said at the San Antonio meeting.
He pointed out that US hours-of-service (HOS) regulations will be enforced when Mexican drivers are in the United States, but law enforcement officers will be unable to determine the time Mexican drivers spend on the road in Mexico before entering the United States.
As for the safety of Mexican vehicles, he said: “Mexican carriers have no more violations than US carriers.”
Regarding potential legal roadblocks to HOS regulations, Ruban said FMCSA awaits a District of Columbia US appeals court ruling to learn if the agency will have to redesign the rule. Court challenges to the rule last year addressed the 11-hour daily driving time limit, the 34-hour restart, and FMCSA's decision not to immediately mandate electronic on-board recorders.
Ruban also discussed the nation's driver shortage, noting the American Trucking Associations estimates that the industry faces an annual shortfall of 54,000 drivers through 2014. The Department of Labor is forecasting 9% to 17% growth in driver demand between now and 2014.
“Transportation isn't slowing down,” he said. “All that is doing is expanding, and that's going to continue over the next few years.”
As for the future, FMCSA is reviewing vehicle equipment that includes lane departure warning systems, on-board recorders, and stability systems. The agency also is considering limiting maximum speed for trucks, reducing aggressive road behavior, and encouraging trucker seat belt use.
