It remains unclear when the border will actually open to Mexican trucks or when the United States would have to pay trade sanctions. U.S. truckers also would be allowed to enter Mexico beyond the border zone, although very few are expected to do so. Trucks here range from shiny new rigs to clunkers spewing so much black exhaust that parts of the highway seem hazy. Mexican truckers already take advantage of reciprocal rules that allow their rigs 20 miles into U.S. border zones before handing off cargo to American drivers. That hasn't led to major safety abuses, says Mr. Adams, the Laredo development executive.
Safety is non-negotiable.
Other factors might discourage Mexican truckers as well. U.S. intransigence led many to cancel their plans for U.S. service long ago. Moreover, Mexican truckers lack maintenance facilities in the United States, not to mention sales and marketing offices to drum up business. And while U.S. truckers worry that Mexican drivers' low wages and poor working conditions will hurt their earnings, U.S. executives say few Mexican companies could actually compete with American truckers' efficiency. Perhaps less than 200 would be economically feasible in the U.S., and I think even less than that will try.