A recent spot market trend has seen certain northbound freight getting hung up at the U.S./Mexico border, and the problem appears to stem from a shortage of B1 drivers willing to bring freight into the U.S.
If you’re a shipper experiencing trouble getting your shipments from Mexico to the U.S., we have solutions – and we’ve already made them work for several clients.
First let’s look at why this problem exists.
Commercial truck drivers in Mexico can enter the United States with a load just fine if they have a B-1 business visitor visa. They can also pick up export loads and bring them back to Mexico.
But recent U.S. enforcement policy has made many B-1 drivers reluctant to cross into the U.S., particularly because of the enforcement of English standards and anti-cabotage regulations, which prohibit foreign-domiciled carriers from handing shipments in which both ends are within the United States.
The result is producing a scenario where carriers will bring freight as far as the U.S./Mexico border, then store in their yard and cross the shipment based upon a prioritization schedule.
Ryan Shannon, head of North America services at Bestway, explains how the prioritization works.
“U.S. domestic policy has these B-1 drivers choosing to only drive intra-Mexico,” Ryan says. “So what we’re seeing across the market is that carriers have an excess of drivers who will pick up from shippers in Mexico and bring it to the border. Once the freight is at the border, there is a shortage of drivers willing to take it across, and those who will do so prioritize the highest-paying freight. If you have a lower-paying shipment, you’re going to see higher transit time.”
The shortage of B-1 drivers started to show itself in spring 2026, and it remains an issue.
But now other factors are exacerbating the cost pressure on shippers. One is the record-high price of diesel fuel. Another is the annual process of new request-for-quotes on contracted pricing.
“It’s a perfect storm that’s kind of blowing up the whole structure,” Ryan says.
Fortunately, Bestway has been able to help clients in a number of ways. Most importantly, Bestway’s standing contracts with carriers make it possible to connect shippers with reliable options a vast majority of the time.
The spot market is always volatile, but the current volatility makes those existing relationships more critical than ever.
If a client finds itself with freight hung up at the border, Bestway offers options on how to get the freight moving, including the possibility of boosting the price to give the freight priority.
“These are challenges and situations where Bestway is proactive,” Ryan said. “We don’t just sit back and say, ‘Deal with it.’ We’ll always be honest and forthcoming about the situation and what will need to be done to resolve it.”
Volatile markets are reality at times, but it makes a big difference when shippers can work with a partner like Bestway that can leverage knowledge, experience, relationships and existing commitments to produce the best possible results.
