In The News

DOT sends NAFTA truck plans to Obama before Mexico trip

WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation has apparently delivered on its promise to send a set of principles for a new Mexico trucking program to the White House before President Barack Obama leaves for Mexico later this week.

Reuters reported today that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood had sent to the White House recommendations for ending the NAFTA trucking dispute, which is expected to be high on the agenda when President Barack Obama visits Mexico later this week.

Reuters attributed the information to an administration aide.

DOT spokesmen were not available this morning to comment on the Reuters report.

Reuters said the White House declined to say whether the administration would make an announcement before the president's trip on a proposal to allow long-haul Mexican trucks to operate deeper in the United States.

Sources told The Trucker earlier this month that LaHood would be sending the principles to the White House before Obama’s trip.

LaHood is known to have met with 23 members of Congress and trucking industry stakeholders to get input on how to handle the NAFTA situation.

In other developments related to the Mexico trucking program:

Senior Obama administration officials discussing the president’s trip to Mexico later this week told members of the media Monday night that they don’t anticipate an immediate resolution of the Mexico truck program but that the president will be “diligently working through” the issue with Mexican officials. Mexican President Felipe Calderon will ask Obama to let Mexico trucks further into the U.S. when Obama visits Mexico later this week, Bloomberg.com reported Monday. In fact, Mexico’s Deputy Transportation Minister Humberto Trevino told Bloomberg that “We don’t simply want to re-establish the pilot project we had, but to have a project with a lot more reach.”
Lyndon Finney of The Trucker staff may be reached to comment at [email protected] .