The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will discuss truck and bus safety at the Mexican/U.S. border at the opening session of its annual Spring Workshop May 14-17 in New Orleans.

An international panel of experts will examine whether the U.S./Mexican border is ready to be opened to the free flow of truck traffic between the countries. The Bush Administration plans to fully open the border to Mexican truckers January 1, 2002. At present, truck traffic from Mexico is limited to commercial zones near the border.
The CVSA members who inspect truck and buses along the highways and the international borders play a major role in making sure trucks crossing the border from Mexico meet U.S. safety standards. The panel will explore the extent of increase in border truck traffic and the adequacy of enforcement resources, both in numbers of inspectors and the inspection facilities.
Other safety issues to be discussed during the workshop include programs to strengthen the Commercial Drivers Licensing system; requiring commercial vehicles to have on-board electronic log books; and enforcing a new U.S./Canadian international safety standard regulating cargo securement.