US Mexico And Canada Transportation

Hi, As I explore the possibility of becoming a truck driver, I was wondering if there are opportunities to transport across the three borders.

Opportunities?

Most companies require you to have a passport for the occasional border crossing.

You are likely going to see more loads going into Canada for delivery, than into Mexico.

Most drivers DO NOT WANT to drive into Mexico any deeper than the "trade zones" immediately across the border. Mexico is VERY DANGEROUS. Substandard roads, substandard drivers and LOTS OF VIOLENT CRIME.

With NAFTA and Cross Border Agreements, there are a number of Mexican trucking companies that can come across and deliver loads into the US. But for the most part, loads to and from Mexico are still dropped and re-powered at the border. Current trade imbalances dictate that there is more stuff coming IN from Mexico, than going out TO Mexico.

Rick

Opportunities?

Most companies require you to have a passport for the occasional border crossing.

You are likely going to see more loads going into Canada for delivery, than into Mexico.

Most drivers DO NOT WANT to drive into Mexico any deeper than the "trade zones" immediately across the border. Mexico is VERY DANGEROUS. Substandard roads, substandard drivers and LOTS OF VIOLENT CRIME.

With NAFTA and Cross Border Agreements, there are a number of Mexican trucking companies that can come across and deliver loads into the US. But for the most part, loads to and from Mexico are still dropped and re-powered at the border. Current trade imbalances dictate that there is more stuff coming IN from Mexico, than going out TO Mexico.

Rick

Rick, Thank you for your informative response. I'm retiring as a Spanish-English teacher, and I wanted to be prepared when a company found out that I speak Spanish and English. I can't imagine that I will need my Spanish skills as a truck driver, but I have used them leading student groups in Spanish speaking countries. :)

Rick, Thank you for your informative response. I'm retiring as a Spanish-English teacher, and I wanted to be prepared when a company found out that I speak Spanish and English. I can't imagine that I will need my Spanish skills as a truck driver, but I have used them leading student groups in Spanish speaking countries. :)

Spanish is a very useful skill at a lot of flatbed shippers and receivers, especially (but not only) in south Texas and the rest of the Southwest. I don't know if that's true for other kinds of freight, but at a lot of places I go, English is the second language of a lot of the forklift drivers and the folks in the shipping/receiving offices. Wish I'd learned that instead of Russian, which is only useful in the trucking world for cussing out Daniel B.