USMCA Renegotiation Talks Spook Carriers Hauling South of Laredo.
With the 2026 review window now open, Mexican manufacturers are pre-staging inventory north of the border at the fastest pace in three years. Drayage providers in Nuevo Laredo report wait times near 11 hours.
The 2026 USMCA review window opened officially on April 1, and the freight community is already pricing in friction that, in policy terms, may never actually arrive.
The most visible response: a sharp acceleration in the rate at which Bajío-region OEMs — auto parts, electronics assembly, white goods — are pre-staging finished inventory north of the Mexican border. Two weeks ago, the average inventory dwell at the World Trade Bridge customs broker yards on the US side was 1.9 days. This week it's 3.4. Three of the four largest customs brokers in Laredo confirmed they have raised their warehousing rates effective May 1.