Worsening traffic snarls caused by a Mexican truck block at a key Bridge in Texas have diverted the U.S.-bound cargos to far-flung crossings and disrupted deliveries from auto parts to avocadoes.
More on the truck blockade
The step-up of the inspection process by Texas Governor Greg Abbott has caused protests on the Mexican side of the border, with truckers protesting on the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. Eighteen wheelers trucks were diverted to other Texas crossings where trucks were waiting to enter the U.S. as commercial traffic came to a standstill at the customs post.
The first six days of inspection under the new decree by Abbott resulted in nearly a fourth of 2400 commercial vehicles that were inspected being declared out of service for safety violations that included defective brakes, lighting, and tires. About 2000 violations were cited, and 79 drivers were placed out of service.
The temperatures were forecasted to reach 38 Celsius, which meant that the products in refrigerated trucks were at risk of getting spoilt when food inflation was rampant.
Last year $443 billion worth of goods such as fruits, buts, machinery, and electronics crossed the U.S. via Texas- Mexico ports of entry. Texas has more than two dozen international bridges that link the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas.
The delays impact the regional and local supply chain, resulting in the local trade associations requesting the Texas government to provide relief in the truck inspection process. According to a white house official, the blame lies with the state official and not the federal border patrol agents.
Tuesday saw the Deputy Trade Minister of Mexico, Luz Maria De La Mora send a letter to Abbott, the Republican leader of the second largest state in the U.S., requesting cooperation to keep the Trade flowing freely. The governor’s office did not respond to the request for comment.
The diversion saw the traffic swell at other bridges with more trucks and more Inspection as per Abbott’s order means wait time has jumped from normal 30 minutes to 4 hours as per Laredo Motor Carriers Association president, Jerry Maldonado.
Maldonado said in a telephonic interview that they have been trying to persuade the governor to listen to us. However, inspections are still carried out and delay the crossings at the Laredo Border for goods coming from Mexico to the U.S.
The new inspection order by Abbott already adds to the existing Inspection that trucks are subjected to border Patrol at the bridge and other Texas highway checkpoints. The order of Abbott mentions cartels that smuggle people across the southern border and illicit contraband.
The long wait created by the inspections may disrupt the Holy week holiday when thousands of Mexican tourists go to the Texas border towns for vacation and shopping.
