Pilot program expands, some Mexican carriers issued out-of-service orders

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s cross-border trucking pilot program is about to get a 13th participant, as Sergio Tristan Maldonado, DBA Tristan Transfer, is being admitted to the program after concerns had been raised over the carrier’s safety audit.

All applicants must pass a Pre-Authorization Safety Audit, among other criteria, to participate in the program. The agency responded July 22 to concerns raised by the Advocated for Highway and Auto Safety over the applicant, saying the group had not shown sufficient problems with the group’s PASA to pose a safety risk.

Moreover, some already participating carriers have had trucks placed out of service recently: GCC Transportes, Transportes Monteblanco and Baja Express each have had one truck placed out of service. Also, two drivers for Servicios Transportes Internacional y Local.

Also, two carriers — Adriana de Leon Amaro and Transportes Mor — recently became the first carriers to fail the PASA. FMCSA has dismissed 14 applications in the course of the nearly two-year program, and three other carrier applicants withdrew their applications.

Decisions are currently pending for two other applicants — Road Machinery and Transportation and Cargo Solutions DBA Trasco.

A D.C. court is currently considering to rehear a case made by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the Teamsters Union, even though it ruled April 19 in FMCSA’s favor to allow the program to continue.

In a separate case, OOIDA argued May 6 against the program and its relation to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. OOIDA says that the Mexican drivers participating in the program are not required to adhere to the standards of the registry rule, but U.S. drivers are.