Mexican trucking industry undergoes new regulations

There are two new major regulations underway in Mexico. One rule requires GPS on double-trailer trucks, while the other, similar to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations in the U.S., sets the standards for driving time and breaks.

Both regulations are an effort to tighten up road safety, with the Ministry of Communications and Transportation citing that there are 16,500 road fatalities in Mexico annually. Road safety and security have been in the spotlight in recent years in Mexico, with theft and kidnapping being a real threat. To keep drivers safe, some fleets have already been implementing the requirements in the laws, such as putting GPS on the trucks so they know the location of drivers at all times. Some fleets have even added video cameras.

On the regulatory side, changes to the laws have been a long work in progress, with an industry forum making an official gathering back in 2016, which made it clear that more stringent regulations were needed to raise safety standards and reduce the number of accidents involving heavy-duty trucks. While the regulations don’t directly address security, some of the ancillary benefits of the safety devices and equipment could also help with security issues as well.

See also: Your guide to Hours of Service requirements for commercial vehicle drivers (U.S.)

NOM-087: Drivers must log hours

For the HOS rule, NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-087-SCT-2-2017, the government outlines drive times and breaks, wanting drivers to avoid fatigue by taking 30-minute rest periods after 5 hours of driving, or 30 minutes distributed across 5 hours and 30 minutes, depending on the route. Drivers must also carry a driving log, which can be in paper or electronic format. You can read the full text here.

NOM-012: Double-trailer trucks must have GPS

Making revisions to previous versions of the law regulating the weights and measures of trucks, NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-012-SCT-2-2017 now requires double-trailer trucks to obtain what’s called “express authorization” to operate. To receive this authorization, the trucks must be outfitted with GPS tracking that is able to report on speed, and safety equipment like speed governors and daytime running lights.

It also requires drivers to stay in the far right lane, except in cases of traffic overflow, and allows the Secretariat of the Ministry to issue additional security measures during holidays.

For a better understanding of the NOM-012 regulation, read our free white paper:

Overview of NOM-012 Weights and Measures Regulations for Mexico:

What They Mean and How Telematics Can Help Fleets Comply

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