Trucking Across the Border

Laredo and its neighboring Nuevo Laredo thrive onand logistics operations will not move out of Laredo
another industry, called drayage. Truck tractors pickbecause the border, where Customs inspections
up truck freight arriving in one country and transportoccur, never will move.
it across bridges to the other country, where a newFMCSA Administrator Hill said drayage will remain a
carrier completes delivery.strong Laredo industry as long as distribution
Laredo business leaders are not concerned, however,warehouses operate there.
about the test program for cross-border trucking"But for all the goods delivered away from the
that started in Setember 2007, where the sameborder, the border system is cumbersome, inefficient
driver and same truck can make the crossing andand unfriendly to the environment," Hill said. "We
deliver freight in the interior of the other nation.want to evaluate the cross-border program with a
So far, only about 10 to 20 trucks a day crossing ingood sample of vehicles and go from there."
Laredo are participating in the test program.Wade said Laredo's business community wishes the
Cross-border trucking never will become aU.S. and Mexican government would make
widespread practice, because of rules that prohibitcross-border trucking permanent making the border
Mexican drivers from making another delivery withinopen to same-driver, same truck deliveries.
the United States after making a U.S delivery from"That way everyone will see that it's no big deal,"
Mexico.Wade said.
Cross-border makes sense only when Mexican driversAs long as U.S., Mexico, and Asian trade continues to
can puck up another Mexican-bound load aftergrow, Wade and his Laredo colleagues figure, the big
making a U.S. delivery, Wade explained. Warehousingdeal on the border will be Laredo.