HOUSTON, Tex. — David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, says North American cabotage rules are a major impediment to carrier and shipper productivity.

The highway committee of the National Industrial Transportation League met yesterday and Bradley encouraged a modernization of the cabotage rules for both countries.

Now, immigration laws don’t coincide with customs laws in that customs rules allow point-to-point movements by Canadian or U.S. vehicles in the other country as part of an international movement or the movement of empty trailers.

“Drivers moving empty trailers or switching trailers in the other country are not engaging in the local labour market,” says Bradley. “Modest reform of the immigration cabotage rules would create major opportunities for efficiency, productivity and service gains and would help carriers deal with the growing driver shortage and compliance with other regulatory requirements like Hours of Service.”