NAFTA and Mexican Trucking
Jacki DiSanto
Cleveland State University

NAFTA and Mexican Trucking
Summary
When the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect in 1994, the treaty stated that by 2000 trucks from each nation would be allowed to cross each other’s borders and deliver goods to their final destination. The treaty purposed was to improve efficiencies. Before NAFTA, Mexican trucks stopped at the border, and goods had to be unloaded and reloaded onto American trucks, this process took time and cost money. It was also argued that greater competition from Mexican trucking firms would lower the price of road transportation within NAFTA. Teamsters union in the United States, which represents truck drivers opposed the treaty. The union claimed that Mexican truck drivers had poor safety records and they do not follow safety and environmental standards of the United States. Also if they commit a serious traffic violation in their personal vehicle, the Mexican drivers are not taken off the road and limits on the hours a driver can spend behind the wheel are ignored in Mexico. The Teamster went as far as suing to stop the treaty. An American court rejected their arguments and stated the country must honor the treaty. As well as a NAFTA dispute settlement panel. This panel ruled in 2001 that the United States was violating the NAFTA treaty and gave Mexico the right to impose retaliatory tariffs. However Mexico, instead gave US a chance to honor the treaty. Congress then approved a measure setting 22 new safety standards that Mexican trucks would have to meet before entering the US. In 2007 the U.S. government set up a pilot program under which trucks from some 100 Mexican transportation companies could enter the United States, provided they passed American safety inspections. This program showed US that Mexican trucks has a slightly higher safety