INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICE

What is the International Relations Office?

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The Office was created in 1994 in

response to the North American Free

Trade Agreement and serves as TxDOT’s

point of contact for border issues; and for

federal, state, and local entities on

matters of an international nature.

What is the International Relations Office?

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IRO Mission Assist Commission, Administration, districts, divisions and offices

achieve the TxDOT mission through support on international issues.

• Participate in State and Bi-National (US-MX) transportation related committees

• Produce border reports and publications

• Spearhead border trade and transportation studies

• Provide Spanish translations and standards for translations

• Host International Visitors to TxDOT

• Work with US-MX border crossing stakeholders on border issues

• Advocate for POE owners/operators and State of Texas

Looking Ahead

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• Transitioning toward a better understanding of the key role transportation plays in trade and economic development.

• Gain a better understanding of how global trade impacts Texas and U.S. highways.

• Become better equipped to assist TxDOT in future infrastructure planning

US-MX trade (exports/imports) was $506B 70% of total U.S.-MX trade transported by truck through

Texas POEs

3.5 million trucks entered Texas from Mexico in 2013 Mexico is Texas’ #1 trading partner - $195B

Mexico is Texas’ top export destination - $101B

#2 Canada - $25.89B#3 Brazil - $10.83B#4 China - $10.74B#5 Netherlands - $9.85B

*2013 Figures

IMPORTANCE OF BORDER TO TEXAS/U.S.

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28 border crossings 13 – Pharr 8 – Laredo 7 – El Paso

13 allow commercial trucks

TxDOT builds/maintains connecting infrastructure to POEs

TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER PORTS OF ENTRY AND TRADE

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Laredo-Colombia Solidarity Bridge

Binational Level U.S.-Mexico Joint Working

Committee (JWC) US-MX International

Bridges and Border Crossings (BBBX) Group

Border Governors Conference (BGC)

TxDOT and State Level Freight Advisory Committee Border Trade Alliance (BTA) Border Trade Alliance

Committee (BTAC) Others

PARTICIPATION IN BINATIONAL/STATE COMMITTEES

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Guadalupe-Tornillo International Bridge projectEl Paso area

REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS (In-house/Legislative)

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• Texas-Mexico International Bridges and Border Crossings – Annual in-depth report on the border crossings

• Quarterly Border Crossing Traffic Data – Data compiled/distributed to local, state and federal stakeholders and interested private entities. Includes POV, commercial, bus, pedestrian and train.

• International Activities Report – Details D/D/O’s international activities – coordination w/Mexico, border improvements, international visitors, etc.

• Legislatively Mandated Reports - A report by CTR to combine the: International Trade Corridor Plan, BTAC Report and Transportation Trade Activities Report for Legislature. Final report due by December 31.

*January-June 2014

Northbound Commercial Truck Crossings

ADMINISTER BORDER STUDIES

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• Border Master Plans (completed) – El Paso, Laredo, Pharr • Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) project• Facilitate trade - developing plans to inventory

transportation and POE infrastructure on both sides of the border

• Border Wait Times (ongoing at 7 commercial ports and 1 POV port)• Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) project• Measure (RFID) crossing times on-going, real time

crossing times at the major commercial crossings in Texas

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FY 15 STUDIES

• Benchmarking Texas’ Trade Transportation Infrastructure• Compare Texas’ transportation infrastructure with peer states• Identify tools for potential improvements to keep Texas

competitive with other border states

• The Role of Texas’ Transportation System in Enhancing Export Competiveness • Identify role of transportation in the logistics chain • Describe the logistic chains for Texas’ major export industries

• Analysis of the Development of Mexico’s Northern Horizontal Corridor and its Potential Impacts on Texas• Impact of corridor on trade flows across the U.S.-Mexico border

through Mexico’s Northern Trade Corridor (Mazatlán – Durango - Matamoros highway)

• Expected diversion of shipments from other border state crossings to South Texas crossings.

OTHER IRO RESPONSIBILITES

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Translations• Translate material English-Spanish/Spanish-English/other languages• Assure consistency throughout TxDOT and implement standards.

Border Technology Exchange Program (BTEP)• Established in 1994 - Provides opportunities for technology and

information exchanges between U.S. and Mexican Border States.

International Visitors• Since 1994 - hosted/coordinated 1,800+

visitors from over 40 countries.

Japanese Visitor - March 2014

Thai Delegation – June 2014

For further information contact

TxDOT-International Relations Office

125 E. 11th StreetAustin, TX 78701

512-936-094012