BTA urges clarification on rule permitting Mexican rail crews to enter U.S. railyards

BTA filed a public comment on September 24, 2026 with the Federal Railroad Administration on its proposed rule governing qualification and certification of locomotive engineers and conductors (Docket No. FRA-2026-2014). BTA’s comment is limited to the portion of the rule governing train movements between the border and nearby U.S. railroad yards.

The proposed rule would allow a Mexican-based crew to operate a train between the border and a U.S. railyard, if yard’s southernmost point of entry falls within 10 route miles of the border. BTA supports this change to reduce bottlenecks at busy border crossings by relocating crew changes and inspections from rail bridges to more suitable yard facilities. BTA asked FRA to clarify that a railroad may use the most practical entrance to an otherwise qualifying yard, even if reaching that entrance requires traveling slightly farther than 10 route miles, so long as the yard’s southernmost point of entry remains within the proposed limit.