B-1 visa rules for Mexican truck drivers, and how to vet the carrier

What a B-1 driver may and may not haul, how yard stops and relays change the answer, what changed in 2026, and how brokers vet the carrier.

The story

Updated September 29, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.

Short answer: A B-1 driver may haul freight that crosses the U.S.-Mexico border as part of one international move, in either direction, including several U.S. stops if every piece is international. A B-1 driver may not haul freight picked up and delivered inside the United States. That is cabotage, and the driver's admission rules bar it (8 CFR 214.2(b)(4)(i)(E)(1)). Separate customs rules limit what a foreign-based truck may do in the U.S. (19 CFR 123.14), and the vehicle exceptions in those rules do not give a B-1 driver permission to haul domestic freight.

The rule has not changed in decades. What changed in 2026 is the information at the crossing: the Department of Transportation now shares its roadside inspection records with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and CBP can use them when it decides whether to admit a driver. For a broker, the practice is the same as it always was. Tender a B-1 driver international freight only, to a carrier authorized for that movement, and keep the paperwork that shows it.

What a B-1 driver is

A B-1 driver is a Mexican (or Canadian) national admitted to the United States as a business visitor to pick up or deliver cargo moving in international commerce. The B-1 is a visitor classification, not a work visa. CBP admits the driver only for "the purpose of an international movement of goods," and the driver must keep a residence abroad and intend to leave. The burden of proving eligibility sits with the driver.

The carrier you book holds the operating authority, not the driver. It is either a U.S.-domiciled carrier or a Mexico-domiciled carrier registered with FMCSA for the border commercial zones or for long-haul operations. Individual drivers do not appear on a carrier's authority or insurance filings. A driver's immigration status and the carrier's authority are separate checks, and a load needs both.

What a B-1 driver may haul

A load loaded in Mexico, delivered to one or several U.S. locations, as long as everything on the trailer was loaded outside the U.S.
A load picked up at one or several U.S. locations, as long as everything loaded is going to Mexico (or Canada).
After delivering, a pickup somewhere else in the U.S. for delivery back to Mexico. The driver may drop a trailer at delivery and hook a loaded trailer going south.
An empty move between two U.S. points with the trailer the driver entered with or will depart with.
A domestic segment of an international delivery as a relay driver for the same company, when the relay is a necessary part of completing the international trip, for example to stay within hours-of-service limits.
Loading and unloading that is incidental to the international move.

What a B-1 driver may not haul

Any shipment picked up at one U.S. location and delivered to another U.S. location. This holds even if the goods were made in Mexico, and whatever the rate.
A U.S. domestic shipment added to an international load because the truck was going that way anyway ("topping up").
An empty trailer repositioned between two U.S. points when the driver neither entered nor is leaving with that trailer.
Freight solicited for domestic delivery while the driver is in the U.S.

How yards and equipment changes affect the international movement

CBP's test for the freight is whether it stays in the stream of international commerce. Once goods "come to rest" in the U.S., they take on a domestic character, even if they started in Mexico. From that point, moving them to another U.S. point is a domestic load. A stop that is a necessary incident of the international trip, such as a government inspection hold or a qualifying driver relay, does not end the international movement.

CBP gives these examples of coming to rest (CTPAT alert, May 2025, repeated in the San Diego Field Office bulletin of April 29, 2026):

Goods parked at a drop lot, holding lot or warehouse to be picked up later, overnight or over the weekend. The exception is freight parked while it waits for clearance by a government agency such as CBP, USDA or FDA.
Switching tractors in the U.S. The exception is a replacement tractor from the same company that enters from the foreign country for that purpose, for a breakdown or a medical emergency.

Changing drivers is not the same as changing tractors. DHS guidance allows a relay driver to drive a domestic segment of an international delivery when two conditions are met: the driver works for the same company as the delivery, and the domestic segment is a necessary incident of the international trip. Relays to comply with hours-of-service limits are the example DHS gives. The relay driver does not have to enter with the vehicle but must enter within a reasonable period.

What that means at the dock. These cases assume the driver was validly admitted, the carrier holds suitable authority for the route, and the move meets the other operating requirements.

Monterrey to Dallas, deliver, then pick up in Fort Worth for Querétaro. B-1 driver OK: yes. A permitted international delivery and a permitted return shipment.
Monterrey to Dallas, then a new shipment from Dallas to Houston for a local customer. B-1 driver OK: not for Dallas to Houston. That shipment is picked up and delivered in the U.S. It is cabotage for the B-1 driver.
Northbound trailer staged overnight at a Laredo yard, then a different driver takes it to Dallas. B-1 driver OK: depends on why it stopped. If the freight came to rest as ordinary staging for later delivery, the Laredo to Dallas leg is domestic and is not for a B-1 driver. A same-company relay needed to complete the international trip, such as an hours-of-service relay, is treated differently.
Northbound freight transloaded at a Laredo warehouse onto another trailer for Dallas. B-1 driver OK: not if the international delivery ended at the warehouse. Then the Laredo to Dallas leg is a domestic continuation. The test is whether the freight came to rest there; the trailer change by itself does not decide it.
Trailer held at the border awaiting FDA or USDA release, then delivered on the same move. B-1 driver OK: yes. Waiting on a government agency is a permitted interruption of the international move.
Deliver in San Antonio, deadhead the same trailer to Houston, live-load exports for Monterrey. B-1 driver OK: yes. The empty move uses the trailer the driver entered with, and the loaded leg is an international export.

Before you classify the next leg of a lane that runs through a transload or a drop yard, work out whether the freight came to rest there. If it did, split the tender. The international leg can go to a cross-border carrier with B-1 drivers. The domestic leg goes to a carrier authorized for that domestic movement, using drivers authorized to work in the U.S.

What changed in 2026

DOT records now reach the border. DOT and CBP confirmed to Transport Topics in June 2026 that DOT inspection records now inform decisions at the crossing, so a roadside cabotage citation can come up the next time the driver seeks entry. CBP said it may use ELD, GPS and inspection records to identify cabotage, and that it "may consider the duration of a foreign driver's stay or activity within the U.S. as an indicator of potential cabotage violations." Duration alone does not make a movement domestic. Transport Topics reported in September that DOT shared three years of violation data. The Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce told its members in April that drivers were being reviewed for violations going back as far as three years and were being asked to sign a declaration about cabotage when crossing.

Published revocation figures have different sources and scopes. CANACAR, Mexico's national trucking chamber, estimated about 20,000 revocations between April 2025 and April 2026, covering revocations broadly. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said about 3,200 Mexican drivers had lost their visas for alleged cabotage since January (both reported by FreightWaves, June 23, 2026). By September, CANACAR estimated more than 25,000, a figure it built from member reports and social media (FreightWaves, September 6, 2026). The figures cover different periods and different reasons for revocation, so they cannot be added or compared directly. CBP told Transport Topics that "specific enforcement data" is unavailable and has not published a comprehensive total.

Fewer Mexican carriers in the border zones. FMCSA counted 5,232 Mexico-domiciled carriers active in the southern border commercial zones on May 15, 2026, down 4.3% from 5,467 on December 26, 2025, and from 5,633 at the end of December 2024 (Transport Topics, July 17, 2026). CANACAR estimates Mexico's trucking industry is short about 96,000 drivers (FreightWaves, June 23, 2026).

English proficiency is an out-of-service offence. Since June 25, 2025, a driver who fails the roadside English check is placed out of service. On April 16, 2026, FMCSA narrowed the border-zone exception: a driver stopped inside a U.S.-Mexico commercial zone is still placed out of service if the paperwork shows the current trip goes beyond the zone, for example Nuevo Laredo to San Antonio. A driver whose trip stays inside the zone, such as Nuevo Laredo to a Laredo transload dock, is cited but not placed out of service. CVSA adopted the change on April 19. On August 10, 2026, FMCSA published a proposed rule to write it into regulation; it is a proposal, not a final rule.

The dispute is still open. Regional news reports cited by Transport Topics said 17 drivers lost their visas at the Mexicali crossing on September 3, and drivers then blocked commercial traffic at Calexico East (Transport Topics, September 18). CBP did not confirm those individual cases. CANACAR is asking CBP for written criteria, saying officers disagree on basics such as whether a truck may reposition inside the U.S. after a delivery to pick up a southbound load. Congress is considering a DOT study of cabotage violations in H.R. 8870, the surface transportation reauthorization bill.

What a broker should do

Tender domestic freight only to a carrier authorized for that domestic movement. If the pickup and the delivery are both in the U.S. and the freight is not part of an international move, it goes to a carrier with authority for that move and drivers authorized to work in the U.S., whatever the backhaul math. A Mexico-domiciled carrier cannot take it: FMCSA registration does not allow point-to-point service in the U.S. for anything but international cargo.
Classify every leg that touches a yard or a warehouse. Determine whether the freight has come to rest before you tender the next leg. Ordinary staging for later delivery can end the international movement, and the next leg is then domestic. A government inspection hold or a qualifying same-company driver relay does not end it. When in doubt, ask the carrier how the stop fits the international trip, and get it in writing.
Put the international proof in the cab. A bill of lading showing a foreign origin or destination for everything on the trailer. The driver carries the burden of proof, and the documents in the cab are what the driver can show.
Plan the return freight. Book the southbound reload before the truck crosses north where you can, and keep trip records that show the international purpose. CBP says it may consider how long a driver stays in the U.S. when assessing possible cabotage; length of stay alone does not make a move domestic, and drivers still take the rest hours-of-service rules require.
Vet the carrier the same way you vet any carrier, and match its authority to the route. Check active authority in FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance system, with safety information in SAFER. A U.S. carrier shows a DOT and MC number. A Mexico-domiciled carrier shows its DOT number with its registration type. Check that the registration covers the actual route: commercial-zone registration does not reach Dallas, Houston or San Antonio, which need long-haul authority.
Check liability coverage and the right proof of it. For-hire interstate or foreign transportation of nonhazardous property in vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more generally requires $750,000 (49 CFR 387.9). A Mexico-domiciled carrier operating only in the commercial zones may meet the requirement with trip insurance of 24 hours or longer (49 CFR 387.7), so for those carriers check the trip-insurance documents rather than an FMCSA filing. Add cargo coverage you are comfortable with and a Satisfactory or Not Rated safety rating.
If the carrier claims CTPAT, confirm it. CBP says CTPAT members found in violation of cabotage rules are suspended or removed, and FAST drivers can lose their cards.
Put cabotage compliance in the carrier agreement. Ask how the carrier's dispatch keeps B-1 drivers on international loads, and write a cabotage compliance representation into your carrier agreement. Transportation lawyers at Benesch recommend compliance representations and audit rights in carrier agreements.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

Accessed September 28, 2026.

8 CFR 214.2(b)(4)(i)(E), transportation operators as business visitors. ecfr.gov
19 CFR 123.14, entry of foreign-based trucks in international traffic. ecfr.gov
CBP, "How Do I Enter the United States as a Commercial Truck Driver?" cbp.gov
CBP San Diego Field Office, "TIN # 68494490 - Cabotage" bulletin, April 29, 2026. govdelivery.com
CBP, CTPAT Alert, "Cabotage Rules Violations and CTPAT," May 20, 2025. cbp.gov
DHS, Guidelines for Compliance of CMV and CMV Drivers Engaged in Cross-Border Traffic (2012), pages 2 and 3 on relay drivers. dhs.gov
FMCSA, Prohibition on Engaging in U.S. Point-to-Point Transportation. fmcsa.dot.gov
FMCSA, Cross-Border Operating Requirements for Mexico-domiciled Motor Carriers. fmcsa.dot.gov
FMCSA, "How can I check the status of my operating authority?" fmcsa.dot.gov
49 CFR 387.7, financial responsibility required, including trip insurance for commercial-zone Mexican carriers. ecfr.gov
49 CFR 387.9, minimum levels of financial responsibility. ecfr.gov
49 CFR 391.11, general qualifications of drivers. ecfr.gov
FMCSA, ELP Guidance Roadside Policy MC-SEE-2026-0002 (April 16, 2026). fmcsa.dot.gov
FMCSA, proposed rule "English Language Proficiency; Out of Service Criteria," 91 FR 51422, August 10, 2026. govinfo.gov
Transport Topics, "Mexican Truckers Lose Visas in Cabotage Crackdown," May 12, 2026. ttnews.com
Transport Topics, "Mexican Truckers Denied Entry as CBP Enforces Cabotage Rules," June 11, 2026. ttnews.com
Transport Topics, "Cabotage enforcement cuts Mexican carriers in border zones," July 17, 2026. ttnews.com
Transport Topics, "Mexican truckers seek diplomatic talks over revoked visas," September 18, 2026. ttnews.com
FreightWaves, "US revokes 20,000 visas for Mexican truckers as cabotage crackdown expands," June 23, 2026. freightwaves.com
FreightWaves, "Mexican trucking group urges US to clarify B-1 visa revocations," August 25, 2026. freightwaves.com
FreightWaves, "Borderlands Mexico: Trucker protest raises stakes in Mexico-US B-1 visa dispute," September 6, 2026. freightwaves.com
Benesch, "Cross-Border Transport Risks: Cabotage Regulatory Enforcement Intensifies," September 18, 2026. beneschlaw.com

Keep reading

B-1 driver and cabotage in the Cargado glossary
B-1 capacity after enforcement changes, on what enforcement did to cross-border capacity and rates
Transloading vs. through-trailer, for lanes that split at the border
How to vet Mexican carriers, for carriers that only run inside Mexico
En español: Visa B-1 para operadores: lo que sí y lo que no pueden hacer

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Frequently asked questions

Can a B-1 driver pick up a return load in a different U.S. city?

Yes, if that load is going to Mexico or Canada. The driver may load at one or several U.S. locations as long as everything on the trailer is delivered outside the U.S. A load from one U.S. city to another is cabotage.

Can a B-1 driver haul a load that came from Mexico between two U.S. cities?

Only while the freight is still part of the international move. Once the goods have come to rest in the U.S., for example staged in a yard or warehouse for later delivery, the next move is domestic freight. Stops that are a necessary part of the international trip are different: cargo held for clearance by a government agency such as CBP, USDA or FDA, and a relay by a driver from the same company needed to complete the trip, such as an hours-of-service relay.

What happens if a B-1 driver is caught hauling domestic freight?

CBP says cabotage violates the driver's nonimmigrant status and can lead to visa cancellation or revocation. Transport Topics has reported cases involving visa revocation, removal proceedings and vehicle towing. Separately, a foreign-based truck used in U.S. local traffic can bring customs penalties under 19 CFR 123.14(d), and a CTPAT carrier can be suspended or removed from the program.

Does the English-proficiency rule apply to Mexican drivers?

Yes. Drivers subject to the federal qualification rules for interstate commercial motor vehicles, including Mexican drivers, must read and speak English well enough to talk with officers and read road signs (49 CFR 391.11(b)(2)). Since June 25, 2025 a failure is an out-of-service violation. Inside a U.S.-Mexico border commercial zone the driver is cited but not placed out of service only if the current trip stays inside the zone.

Can a U.S. carrier employ B-1 drivers?

Yes, for international moves. CBP states that a U.S. carrier may employ a foreign driver engaged only in the international delivery of goods to or from the U.S. The driver must keep a foreign residence and cannot do domestic hauling without U.S. employment authorization.

Do drivers need a B-1 if the freight transfers at the border?

Not the Mexican drivers who stay in Mexico. In a transfer or transload model, the Mexican carrier delivers to a yard on the Mexican side and a U.S.-side carrier takes the freight across or onward. Whoever drives in the U.S. needs the right status for that leg.

Is a Mexico-domiciled carrier allowed to haul U.S. domestic freight?

No. FMCSA says no Mexico-domiciled carrier may conduct point-to-point operations within the U.S., whatever type of registration it holds. Its authority covers international cargo only, and commercial-zone registration covers only the border commercial zones.

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