Using Brokers to Determine North American Free Trade Agreement Truck Origins and Destinations at Texas-Mexico Border

U.S.-Mexico trade continues to grow, much of it crossing into Texas, where bridges over the Rio Grande carry the vehicular and rail traffic. Currently, more than 70 percent of North American Free Trade Agreement U.S.-Mexico trade is by truck, and substantial delays and other social costs are a feature of border port-of-entry systems. New bridge locations are being proposed, and each site must be carefully evaluated to ensure that it is economically feasible. As part of this evaluation process, origin and destination surveys are used to determine bridge location and demand. Many of the truck trailers are moved by drayage companies or by drivers who have not brought the load from its origin or who will deliver it to the final destination. It is argued that surveys of these drivers are flawed and give limited data. A report is made on a method with which to interview and survey customs brokers to derive truck origin and destination data; this report was successfully employed at the Anzalduas International Bridge site near McAllen, Texas. Because many ports of entry in Texas are similar to McAllen, the survey method can be applied across the whole border.