Feds to track Mexican trucks with satellite

Feds to track Mexican trucks with satellite Motor carriers participating in the U.S.-Mexico bilateral cross-border trucking pilot program will have to use satellite-based vehicle tracking systems for enforcement purposes, the U.S. Department of Transportation said Thursday.
   The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is managing the one-year program for up to 100 Mexican trucking companies to serve long-haul routes in the United States beyond the traditional border zone, is seeking a contractor to supply satellite terminals to U.S. and Mexican vehicles participating in the reciprocal program. The systems will be installed at no cost to the trucking companies, the DOT said.
   “This will give us the ability to monitor every vehicle from Mexico and ensure all companies are following our strict safety requirements, including those governing hours of service and cabotage (domestic service),” said FMCSA Administrator John Hill in a statement. The equipment will also document the date and time of international and state crossings.
      The move is another effort to keep the three-week program alive after both houses of Congress voted to pull its funding because of perceived concerns about Mexican trucks and drivers jeopardizing safety on U.S. roads.
   Mexican carriers must pass a safety audit before being allowed to participate in the program.
   Earlier in the week, the DOT approved the third Mexican highway carrier for making deliveries into the interior of the country. Transportes Padilla of Tijuana plans to operate three trucks in the U.S. program.