Stricter enforcement of U.S. trucking regulations is raising alarm among carriers and produce shippers moving freight between the U.S. and Mexico. At the International Road Transport Union's North American Transportation Forum in Cancún, industry representatives flagged concerns about enforcement of cabotage restrictions, B-1 visa requirements, English-language proficiency rules, and commercial driver qualifications — all of which affect the movement of Mexican carriers across the border. CANACAR President Augusto Ramos Melo specifically warned that added inspections and documentation requirements could disrupt scheduling, equipment availability, and delivery times for Mexican carriers.
The stakes are significant for produce. Nogales handles roughly 37% of all U.S. fresh produce imports from Mexico, and the cross-border supply chain for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, avocados, and other Mexican-origin commodities depends heavily on Mexican carrier capacity and reliable transit times. North American cross-border trade recovered in 2026 after a decline in 2025, according to American Trucking Associations data cited at the forum.
For category managers and buyers with Mexican-origin programs, this is a logistics risk worth flagging now. If enforcement ramps up and Mexican carriers face additional inspection delays or documentation hurdles at ports of entry, transit time and landed cost volatility could follow — especially on perishable loads.