U.S. to inspect Mexican trucks

U.S. safety inspectors will be allowed to check trucks on Mexican soil before they enter the United States under a program that officials said would remove the last barrier to the long-delayed opening of U.S. highways to Mexican truckers.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters and her Mexican counterpart, Luis Tellez, announced the plan Thursday during a visit to a trucking firm in Monterrey, Mexico.

“This is a historic agreement to ensure the safety of these vehicles ... and their drivers as well,” Peters said, adding, “this is the first time U.S. inspectors have come into Mexico to perform these on-site safety audits.”

The plan will allow U.S. transportation inspectors to check not only the safety and condition of the Mexican rigs but also the licenses, insurance and driving records of the Mexican drivers.