In addition to U.S. lawmakers and stakeholders, Mexico has now urged the U.S. to come up with a plan to end the ban on cross-border trucking, according to reports by CNN. In statements released Tuesday, Mexico called on the U.S. to develop a resolution to the problem, which Mexico says is in violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S.-Mexico border was supposed to have been opened to border-state traffic in 1995 and to long-distance traffic in 2000. The opening was stalled until 2007, in part by difficult negotiations with Mexico, but mainly by the legislative and legal tactics of U.S. labor, owner-operator and citizen advocacy groups who fear loss of U.S. jobs to Mexican drivers and argue that Mexican trucks will not be safe.

After Congress cut off a cross-border trucking pilot program last March by prohibiting funding for such a program, the Mexican government slapped $2.4 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.

Just last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told lawmakers at a Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development hearing that a plan to address cross-border trucking with Mexico was being finalized.

According to CNN, Mexico recognizes the fact that the U.S. does want to resolve the issue, but it wants to see more movement.






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