HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAO REPORT

Findings 

The General Accounting Office reports that “[a]lthough some progress has been made, there is continued uncertainty about the extent to which Mexican commercial trucks meet U.S. safety standards.”  The report’s findings include:

Ø                   The Department of Transportation (DOT) does not have an operational plan to ensure that Mexican-domiciled carriers comply with U.S. truck safety standards.

Ø                   DOT has not secured permanent space or constructed permanent inspection facilities at 23 of 25 southwest border crossings.  For instance, in Laredo, Texas, the U.S. Customs Service has designated space for DOT to inspect Mexican-domiciled trucks.  The Customs Service provides space for 33 trucks to be inspected or placed out-of-service, yet approximately 5,500 to 6,100 trucks cross at the two Laredo ports on an average day.

Ø                   States are responsible for ensuring that Mexican-domiciled trucks adhere to U.S. Clean Air Act emissions standards.   Twenty-three of 25 southwest border crossings do not have a truck emissions inspection program in place at the border.

Ø                   Although the Mexican government recently developed truck safety regulations and has taken steps to enforce safety and air emissions standards, it is too early to assess their effectiveness.  For instance, as of October 2001, Mexico’s commercial driver’s license database covered less than one-quarter of Mexico’s estimated 300,000 commercial drivers.

Recommendations

Ø                   The GAO recommends that DOT develop and implement a coordinated operational truck safety plan at the southwest border.   This plan should include reaching agreements with the border states and other federal agencies on space, staffing, day-to-day operations, and a timetable for when these actions will occur. 

Ø                   Although DOT agreed with GAO’s recommendation that DOT develop and implement a coordinated operational plan for truck safety at the southwest border, GAO disagrees with DOT’s comments that they are well advanced in their efforts to implement the recommendation.

Ø                   Moreover, GAO disagrees with DOT’s comments that they are well advanced in their efforts to fulfill the requirements of the FY2002 DOT Appropriations Act.

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