Laredo B-1 Driver Shortage Tightens U.S.-Mexico Trucking Capacity

Northbound freight through Laredo is facing a specialized driver shortage even as domestic truck capacity around the Texas gateway appears comparatively balanced. FreightWaves reported August 24 that Uber Freight sees a shrinking pool of B-1 drivers, stronger northbound demand and growing cargo backlogs in Nuevo Laredo. The constraint is the qualified cross-border driver segment, not simply a lack of tractors or trailers.

FreightWaves SONAR data showed Laredo's outbound tender rejection rate falling from 12.24% on July 24 to 6.93% on August 24. That easing in the domestic market contrasts with limited availability for the border-crossing move. Uber Freight also cited a 6.3% decline in active Mexican-domiciled southern-border carriers between late December and late June, while reporting that trade and produce volumes through Laredo remained strong.

Mexican carriers are recruiting drivers from other regions, supporting English-language development and teaching the requirements associated with B-1 operations. Those efforts take time. Uber Freight said shippers can also consider transloading, in which freight moves to the border with a Mexican driver and is transferred for northbound transport by a U.S. driver. The method can widen the available driver pool but adds handling, cargo-security and damage considerations.

Carriers and shippers should treat the report as a lane-specific capacity signal, not proof that every cross-border rate will rise. Forecasting volume earlier, confirming customs and warehouse appointments, protecting high-value cargo during transfers and maintaining backup capacity can reduce exposure. Drivers must operate only within the immigration, licensing and operating authority that applies to their assignment. No shipper urgency changes those requirements. For CDL professionals, the market highlights the value of language skills, documented qualifications and experience with cross-border procedures.