More safety oversight needed on Mexican truckers: OIG

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials still need to do a better job in regulating safety standards on Mexican truckers that cross the border, according to the nation’s top government watchdog.

In a report, the Office of the Inspector General said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) need to improve the safety criteria for Mexico-domiciled motor carrier operations.

Under the Bush administration, select Mexican carriers were permitted to haul beyond the 20-mile border commercial restriction zones. That plan was scrapped by Congress when Obama took office, but when Mexico slapped tariffs on 90 U.S. goods in response, the president pledged he will bring it back.

According to the report, the FMCSA met six of the eight criteria since its last audit in August 2007. The OIG pointed to two areas that need improvement: having a sufficient database to allow safety monitoring of Mexican carriers and drivers, and having adequate capacity at southern border to conduct meaningful bus inspections.

The OIG said there are databases in place, but the FMCSA needed to improve the consistency of Mexican traffic conviction reporting to the Mexican Conviction Database among states.

"Any conviction information that is delayed or not reported, including information on convictions incurred while driving a non-commercial vehicle, could result in Mexican federal CDL holders continuing to drive in the United States after incurring a disqualifying traffic offense," the OIG said.

In response to the report, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said the borders should remain closed to Mexican trucks. "This new report raises even more alarms about opening our border to unsafe trucks from Mexico and endangering the lives of drivers in the United States," Hoffa said.