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Cross-Border · Mexico–US

Mexico Cross-Border

End-to-end Mexico solutions. Mexican carrier transfer, US drayage, customs both sides — on one bill of lading, one accountable POC, one invoice.

Crossings
Laredo · El Paso · Otay · McAllen
Customs
Both sides in-house
Compliance
CTPAT · OEA · USMCA
Transfer
Nose-to-nose or drop-and-hook
Overview

The Mexico ground border is complicated. Our desk makes it not your problem.

Mexico cross-border is structurally more complex than Canada-US because Mexican carriers can’t legally operate in the US under their Mexican authority (and vice versa). Every commercial shipment requires a carrier transfer at the border, plus customs entry on both sides (Mexican pedimento + US ACE entry, or reverse). Laredo handles >40% of all US-Mexico land trade — over $200B annually. Our Mexico desk coordinates Mexican origin carriers, US-side drayage and final-mile, customs brokerage on both sides, and presents one bill of lading to you with one invoice at the end.

How it works

From quote to POD, step by step.

1

Mexican carrier pickup at origin

Mexican carrier dispatched from origin (Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico City, etc.). Customs broker prepares Mexican pedimento for export.

2

Drive to border yard

Mexican driver delivers to a border-side staging yard at Laredo / El Paso / Otay Mesa / McAllen. Truck or trailer goes through Mexican export inspection.

3

Carrier transfer

Transfer happens one of three ways: nose-to-nose (Mexican trailer swapped to US tractor, fastest), drop-and-hook (US carrier picks up the same trailer the next day), or full transfer (unloaded into US trailer).

4

US customs entry + release

ACE entry filed (we’re a direct filer). US customs broker reviews. CBP releases the load. Random inspection rate ~5-10% for non-CTPAT, much lower with CTPAT.

5

US drayage + delivery

US carrier delivers to final US destination. Single combined BOL, single invoice. Mexican and US customs receipts uploaded to your account.

Pricing

What drives the rate?

Transparent inputs, not mystery margins. Here’s exactly what goes into a mexico cross-border quote.

Get my rate
Origin in Mexico
Distance from border drives Mexican carrier rate. Monterrey-Laredo cheapest, Mexico City-Laredo most expensive
Transfer type
Nose-to-nose fastest but requires compatible trailers. Drop-and-hook adds 12-24h. Full transfer slowest but works with any equipment
Crossing choice
Laredo most efficient (most lanes, most carriers, deepest pool). El Paso strong for west MX origins. Otay best for CA destinations
Customs brokerage both sides
Mexican pedimento + US entry = two brokers. We coordinate both in-house
CTPAT / OEA status
FAST lane (CTPAT + OEA carriers) gets express processing. Significantly faster border release
Frequently asked

Mexico Cross-Border questions, answered.

Why does Mexico cross-border need two carriers?
Mexican carriers operating under their Mexican authority can’t legally deliver into the US, and vice versa. The 1994 NAFTA pilot was supposed to change this but never fully implemented. So every Mexico-US shipment requires a transfer at the border. Our desk handles the choreography.
How long does cross-border transit take?
Monterrey to Laredo: ~4-5 hours. Laredo to Dallas: ~8 hours. Total Monterrey-Dallas: ~24-36 hours including transfer. CTPAT/FAST shipments faster. Add 8-24 hours for non-CTPAT loads if congestion or random inspection hits.
Do I need to register both sides for customs?
If you’re the US importer of record, you need a US CBP-issued Importer ID. If you’re also the Mexican exporter, you need Mexican RFC tax ID. We can advise on what registrations apply to your specific role.
What is a maquiladora and does it affect logistics?
Maquiladora (IMMEX program) lets Mexican manufacturers import components duty-free if they re-export the finished goods. Logistically: inbound components move under temporary import, outbound finished goods move under PROSEC. Documentation differs — our brokers handle the IMMEX paperwork.
What about USMCA / T-MEC qualification?
USMCA (called T-MEC in Mexico) replaced NAFTA in 2020. Qualifying goods move duty-free between the three countries. Qualifying generally requires regional value content >75% for autos, lower thresholds for other goods. Our customs team helps qualify your products.
Let’s move it

Have a shipment? Get rates in 10 min.

Tell us the origin, destination and mode. A Qeep specialist replies within the hour with live capacity, lane price, and a transit window you can actually plan around.