Data shows Mexican carrier safety improving

Updated Jul 27, 2012

Mex BorderThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has reported Mexican-domiciled commercial vehicles entering the United States from 2008-2010 had a significantly improved safety record over previous years.

Last month, the agency posted summaries of major safety activities, such as inspections conducted on Mexican trucks and buses crossing the Southern border into the United States. Federal funding legislation for fiscal years 2008-2010 has required reports on the safety and security of these carriers be submitted annually to congressional appropriations committees.

The out-of-service rate for drivers of Mexican-domiciled CMVs inspected at the border during 2010 was just more than 1 percent and the OOS rate for vehicles nearly 17 percent. By comparison, the national OOS average of all U.S. inspections was almost 5.3 percent for drivers and nearly 20 percent for CMVs for that year.

License check data for FY 2004 -2010 was conducted through Mexico’s Federal commercial driver’s license system, Licencia Federal Information System, the Commercial Driver’s License Information System, and the International Justice and Public Safety Network, during roadside or border facility inspections.

That year, almost 99 percent of 254,397 driver’s license were valid that were conducted on Mexico-domiciled drivers entering or operating in the United States.

In FY1993, the OOS rates for drivers of Mexican CMVs were close to 25 percent and more than 50 percent for vehicles. During1993-2010, truck and bus entries from Mexico into the United States increased 96 percent.

In FY 2009, driver and vehicle OOS rates for Mexico-domiciled CMVs was nearly 2 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Driver and vehicle OOS rates for Mexico-domiciled CMVs were slightly more than 1 and 21 percent respectively for FY 2008.

During FY 2009, license checks conducted on Mexico-domiciled drivers entering or operating in the United States indicated 97 percent of the licenses were valid.

The 2008 report includes a separate summary of data from 29 Mexican carriers participants of cross-border demonstration project from its first year, which ended Sept. 6, 2008.

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Only slightly more than 15 percent of the trips of project participants traveled beyond the commercial zones.  That year, no crashes were reported for participants and six driving offense convictions were reported.  Participant driver and vehicle OOS rates were less than 1 percent and almost 10 percent respectively.

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