Eagle Pass International Bridge System Suffers $5.1 Million Loss in Revenues Due to Non-Essential Travel Restrictions in 2020
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions implemented on March 20, 2020 by the United States and Mexico, which remain in effect, caused the City of Eagle Pass International Bridge System a loss of $5.1 Million in gross revenues during 2020, according to information provided by the City of Eagle Pass pursuant to a public records request made by the Eagle Pass Business Journal.
According to the public information, the City of Eagle Pass International Bridge System collected a total of $14,202,202 (Million) in revenues during the period of March 2019 to December 2019, the same ten months period before the U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions were implemented in 2020.
From March 2020 to December 2020, after the U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions were implemented, the City of Eagle Pass International Bridge System collected a total of $9,008,726.76 (Million), a loss of $5,193,475.24 (Million) in gross revenues during the first ten months of the travel restrictions. This sum does not include the month of January 2021.
This is a significant loss of gross revenues to the Eagle Pass International Bridge System and the City of Eagle Pass as a result of the lower traffic crossing at the two international bridges due to the U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions.
During March to December 2019, there were 2,435,843 (Million) non-commercial vehicles that crossed from Eagle Pass to Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico at the two Eagle Pass international bridges for a total of $9,830,268 (Million) in gross revenues. But during March to December 2020, only 1,376,146 (Million) non-commercial vehicles crossed due to the travel restrictions, a difference of 1,059,697 (Million) less vehicles, for a total of $5,583,512.36 (Million) in gross revenues, sustaining a loss of $4,246,755.64 (Million) in gross revenues for this category.
For Commercial vehicles, during March to December 2019 there were a total of 144,233 vehicles that crossed generating $3,982,432 (Million) in gross revenues compared to 138,550 commercial vehicles during March to December 2020 for a total of $3,176,752.10 (Million) in gross revenues, sustaining a loss of $805,679.90 for this category.
For Buses, during March to December 2019 there were a total of 3,367 that crossed generating $59,994 in gross revenues compared to only 1,849 buses during March to December 2020 for a total of $27,484,.86 in gross revenues, sustaining a loss of $32,509.14 for this category.
For Motorcycles, during March to December 2019 there were a total of 3,110 that crossed generating $9,109 in gross revenues compared to only 2,059 during March to December 2020 for a total of $5,149.94 in gross revenues, sustaining a loss of $3,959.06 for this category.
For Pedestrians, during March to December 2019 there were a total of 543,105 people that crossed generating $320,399 in gross revenues compared to only 298,221 pedestrians during March to December 2020 for a total of $215,827 in gross revenues, sustaining a loss of $104,571.50 for this category.
Both the Eagle Pass International Bridge System and the City of Eagle Pass are losing millions of gross revenues as a result of the controversial U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions that were implemented by the Trump Administration on March 20, 2020 and extended until February 21, 2021.
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes stated that the City of Eagle Pass is diligently working with Congress and newly sworn-in President Joe Biden to rescind the controversial U.S.-Mexico border non-essential travel restrictions that are causing all border communities to sustain heavy financial losses to their fiscal budgets.
