US-Mexico cross-border challenges ahead

Last year’s peak season in Mexico brought about the worst capacity shortage we’ve experienced in a decade. The imbalance in trade between the U.S. and Mexico left shippers scrambling to find truck and rail capacity as carriers were forced to reposition empty equipment in order to meet the demand.

While shippers were hoping for relief during the offseason, that was not the case. Already in 2015, the normal pools for equipment that accrue in Mexico during the off season have yet to appear, so capacity remains tight. This has not only made for a challenging off season, but is also an indicator of things to come.

This has been excerpted from the 16 February 2015 issue of JOC.com and is available in its entirety at:
http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/us-mexico-cross-border-challenges-ahead_20150216.html (login required)