MEXICO CITY (Feb. 12, 2001) — Nearly half of Mexico’s heavy-truck fleet would be unfit to operate in the United States because the vehicles are old and inefficient, according to the president of one of Mexico’s largest trucking associations.

Jose Omar Ortiz Salinas of the National Confederation of Mexican Freight Carriers (Conatram) said that while the U.S. national road transport fleet has an average age of five years to six years, approximately 53 percent of Mexican trucks are more than 15 years old.

He said Mexican truckers would be unable to compete effectively with their U.S. counterparts.

Last week, a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panel ruled that U.S. authorities must drop a ban on Mexican trucks from carrying freight throughout the United States or face up to $2 billion US in penalties.

Leonardo Gomez, head of Mexico’s National Private Transport Association (ANTP), welcomed the decision, saying it would lead to reduced costs of road transport. “The deadlines set by NAFTA have come and gone. If the border is not opened, it will be a violation of what is established (by NAFTA),” he said.