- A safety examination must be completed before a Mexican carrier is granted conditional operating authority. The safety check must include verification that the applying carrier has proper safety programs, a drug/alcohol-testing program and a system to comply with hours-of-service rules. The applicant’s equipment and drivers must also be checked in accordance with U.S. safety standards.
- A Mexican carrier granted conditional authority must undergo a full safety compliance review before receiving permanent authority to operate beyond border commercial zones.
- State and federal commercial vehicle inspectors must electronically verify the CDLs of all drivers of Mexican trucks transporting hazardous materials. Random license checks will be performed on drivers of other vehicles operated by Mexican motor carriers.
- Mexican carriers operating outside commercial zones will be assigned unique DOT numbers for identification purposes.
- The bill requires inspection of all Mexican vehicles operating outside border zones unless the vehicles display a valid Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspection decal. Mexican carriers who have been granted authority to operate beyond commercial zones for three consecutive years will be exempted from the inspections.
- All U.S.-Mexico border crossings that handle commercial vehicles will be equipped with scales for enforcement purposes. The bill requires that five of the 10 busiest crossings be equipped with weigh-in-motion scales immediately, with the remaining five busy crossings getting WIM scales within a year.
- Mexican carriers must provide proof of insurance with an insurance company licensed to do business in the United States.
- Commercial vehicles operated by Mexican motor carriers may enter the United States only at commercial border crossings which have sufficient facilities to conduct safety inspections, and when certified commercial vehicle inspectors are present.
NAFTA Provisions
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