Crossing the Border

Today was cross the border day to start work at the company’s Mexican facility.  I was staying at a resort in Tubac, AZ which is about 25 miles away from the Mexican plant, and 23 miles from the border.  Badger Meter has a warehouse on the American side of the border, which is where we had to go and then we got picked up by a shuttle that would take us across the border to the plant.  Once there, we had to drop our things off, and then go back to the border to the customs office to fill out temporary work visas and pay for it.  Once done, we were able to go back to the plant and start the day. 

The drive back was a little more complicated.  There isn’t much of a hassle going from the US to Mexico, the problem is going from Mexico back to the US.  It is quite a bottleneck.  We spent about 35 minutes in line in the shuttle waiting to get to the border.  It was much like a bunch of toll booths, except instead of paying a toll, you had to stop and show your passport, at which time the border agent may (or may not) take a look in and around the car.  Sometimes, apparently, if you look suspicious, or sometimes just at random, cars get pulled out of line and they do a full search of the car.  Luckily that didn’t happen.  I am told if it does, it can take as much as an hour or so to get thru.  Funny how the Mexicans don’t really care if you go across their border.  Then again, there aren’t a lot of people beating down the door to get to Mexico.