William B. Cassidy | Jan 06, 2011 4:50PM EST
The Department of Transportation Thursday released "an initial concept document" for a new crossborder trucking agreement with Mexico, without setting deadlines.
The document, available here, is the "starting point" for new negotiations with Mexico over crossborder trucking, the department said in a statement.
The brief document gives a bare outline of vetting procedures for Mexican truckers that want to operate in the U.S. and inspection and monitoring requirements.
A formal proposal will be released "in the coming months," the DOT said.
Any program designed to replace the Bush-era cross-border trucking pilot project killed by Congress and the White House in 2009 will face stiff opposition.
The Teamsters union and consumer and safety advocates are opposed to giving Mexican truckers the kind of access to U.S. highways Canadian truck drivers enjoy.
"The Obama Administration will continue to work with Congress and other stakeholders to put safety first," the department said in its statement.
"The administration will continue to ensure that the program delivers job growth and economic opportunities here at home," the DOT said.
Mexico imposed stiff tariffs on nearly 100 U.S. products when the cross-border trucking project was eliminated, claiming the U.S. violated NAFTA.
The DOT said it plans to prioritize safety while satisfying "international obligations."
-- Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com.