United States Transportation Secretary Norman Y Mineta congratulated the first graduates of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) border auditors course. He commended them for completing the training program and emphasized the part they will have in ensuring that Mexico-domiciled commercial vehicles operate safely in the United States when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) truck and bus provisions are implemented in summer 2002.
These graduates will join other FMCSA auditors in conducting safety audits of Mexico-domiciled motor carriers and roadside inspections on commercial motor vehicles to ensure safety in cross-border traffic. They are part of the Department of Transportation's effort to further the Bush administration's commitment under NAFTA to open the border fully and safely to international trucking. They will be assigned responsibility for promoting and enforcing the federal motor carrier safety regulations (FMCSR) and hazardous material regulations.
The Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, signed into law Dec 18, 2001, by President Bush, established three categories of personnel to ensure safe operation of commercial vehicles at the border.
The three categories are safety inspector, safety auditor, and safety investigator. Each position performs distinct duties, although a safety investigator is qualified to perform all the tasks of each position. Positions and their duties include:
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Safety inspector — Performs commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspections to ensure compliance with FMCSR.
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Safety auditor — Conducts safety reviews of Mexico-domiciled carriers. They are also trained to perform vehicle inspections. Safety reviews include verification of safety management programs such as hours-of-service compliance, vehicle inspection and maintenance, drug and alcohol testing programs, and financial responsibility. The review also includes verification of driver qualifications, vehicle inspections, and an interview with carrier officials to inspect safety management controls.
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Safety investigator — Conducts compliance reviews on Mexico-domiciled carriers to ensure they operate safely, conducts safety audits, and vehicle inspections.
