U.S. Department of Transportation Implements the Granting of Authorizations for International Ground Transportation Service to Mexican Carriers, by Ramon Concha

On January 9, 2015, the U. S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced the results of the three year Pilot Program under which authorizations were granted to Mexican carriers to provide international cargo transportation services between points in Mexico and the United States. As part of the Pilot Program, the Mexican carriers conducted more than 28,000 border crossings, traveled 1.5 million miles on U.S. roads and highways, and were subjected to more than 5,500 safety inspections. Statistics from the Pilot Program showed that 15 of the Mexican transportation companies who applied for the program, together with 952 Mexican companies that already had authorization before the moratorium was imposed in the 1980s, demonstrated a vehicle safety rating equal to or higher than their U.S. and Canadian counterparts.Therefore, the U.S. DOT delivered the report of this program to the United States Congress with the recommendation to grant permanent authorization to Mexican carriers that apply for the above mentioned authorization and comply with the requirements set forth for such carriers. The U.S. DOT will now receive and process these applications for permanent authorizations of Mexican carriers. Once the program is approved by Congress, this trade dispute will end between Mexico and the United States, and the sanctions applying countervailing duties Mexico imposed in 2011 will be cancelled. For more information about the requirements and information needed to request such authorization, please contact us.