A guide for border-crossing and transloading an LTL in Laredo

In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about border-crossing and transloading of an LTL (Less than Truck Load) in Laredo.

The location of Laredo, Texas, makes it one of the most important crossings on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Mexicom Logistics and Mexicom USA can consolidate, deconsolidate, cross-dock, and transload in the area.

Mexicom Logistics has more than 16 years of experience in door-to-door terrestrial freight transportation between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Our purpose is to get northbound and southbound loads safely and on time to their destination. We work to have a border-crossing experience without setbacks with all our customers.

Border-crossing and transloading of an LTL from Mexico to the U.S.

Unlike the Full Truck Load (FTL), when you work with an LTL, you need to know the precise amount of pallets, their size and weight, to choose the right kind of vehicle. Do you need to know which documents are needed in every step of the border-crossing in Laredo? On the next list, you will find every required document:

1. Customs documents:

• Vehicle plate number
• Type of vehicle
• Dimensions
• Place of vehicle registration
• Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC)
• Carrier Alphanumeric Code (CAAT)
• Bond information (when needed)

2. Crossing documents:

• DODA or Document of Operation for Customs Clearance
• Prefile entry con Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS)
• O-entry

3. Crossing coordination with transfer:

• Border-crossing information:
  • Trailer number
  • Mexican carrier
  • Yard address
  • Delivery place in Laredo
• Border-crossing schedule (next working day)
  • First-round (documents must be submitted before 14h)
  • Second round
  • Third round (when needed)
• E-manifest elaboration (transfer)
• Withdrawal letter (transfer)

4. Pick up in transportation yard:

• • Validation of trailer number, conditions, and seals.

5. Exportation crossing:

• Movement and queue at Mexican customs.
  • Start Mexican customs procedures
  • Clearance (green)
  • Inspection (red). No forwarder needed
• Start Mexican customs procedures
  • Cleared
  • Gamma rays
  • Met (detailed inspection)

Border-crossing and transloading of an LTL from the U.S. to Mexico

Mexicom Logistics is able to provide a safe service of transportation from the U.S. to Mexico. We work to have an efficient border-crossing to make your load get to the main cities in Mexico without any setbacks.

1. Customs documents:

• SCAC
• CAAT

2. Crossing documents:

• Trailer number
• Name and address of the customs broker where the trailer was picked up
• Recollections schedule
• The window of time to pick up trailer and documents
• Name and address of transportation yard where the trailer will be delivered

3. Before scheduling the crossing, you should keep in mind that:

• You need to save between 4 and 5 hours
• Your recollection window should be at least an hour
• Importation crossing begin around 11 hours, after releasing the exportation
• Release of the trailers depends on exportation crossing (loaded or empties)

4. Pick up the trailer with the customs agent:

• Validate trailer number
• Confirm that the trailer is closed
• Validate the trailer conditions
• Authenticate that the DODA is ready
• Import-crossing

5. American Customs movement:

• Start the first procedure in Mexican customs
• Clearance (green)
• Customs inspection (rays and red*)
• Yellow (mechanism didn’t start)
• You get a lane for inspections and call the customs agency forwarder. Two hours will be taken to this procedure, after this time, fees will be charged.