BORDER LINES

By Peter Bradley, Toby Gooley, and James Aaron Cooke -- Logistics Management, 1/1/2000

- If you do business in Mexico, consider attending Transporte Internacional 2000, scheduled for March 1-4 in Houston, Texas. The 9th annual conference will focus on trade and transportation in Mexico, but many sessions will have a broader appeal. Session topics include using e-commerce to optimize freight movements, ocean shipping options for Mexican cargoes, Mexico's political and economic outlook, the future of the maquiladora industry, and how to improve cargo security. Speakers will represent shippers, carriers, ports, private industry, and the U.S. and Mexican governments. For more information, contact Kate Eldredge of The Kingsley Group at (617) 973-5086.

- The U.S. Department of Transportation has released a new statistical report on transportation and travel between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The report, North American Transportation Highlights, was produced jointly by federal transportation and statistics agencies in those three countries. It divides information into four categories: statistics on the extent and use of transportation networks , trade and travel, transportation safety, and transportation and energy use. To order free copies of the report, call (202) 366-3282, fax to (202) 366-3640, or write to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Room 3430, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, DC 20590.

- Canada's strong economic growth may be pulled up short soon if industry and government don't address the shortage of qualified truck drivers and the "sorry state" of Canada's highway system. That somber message was delivered by David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, at the annual meeting of the Ontario Trucking Association in Toronto. Bradley noted that some economists expect trade between the United States and Canada--most of which moves by truck--to quadruple in the next 15 years, and about 50,000 new drivers will be needed to meet that demand. Other pressures on the trucking industry he cited included soaring fuel prices and the Canadian government's failure to repair and upgrade highways. Bradley called on the federal and provincial governments to craft a national highway policy similar to that of the United States, which includes substantial funding for highway improvements.

- NAFTA Notes: Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks has entered the Canadian market through a new subsidiary, MFTA Canada Inc. The division will include approximately 25 dealers offering 10 different light- and medium-duty truck models. ProTrans International, a logistics company specializing in freight consolidation, has entered the Mexican market by opening a warehouse/customer-service center in Monterrey and sales offices in Mexico City and Guadalajara. The entire North American operation of Canada Maritime has earned accreditation under the ISO 9002 quality-assurance standard. The Schenker Group has opened a customs-clearance office in Buffalo, N.Y., which will provide both northbound and southbound service between the United States and Canada.