Automotive Industry in Mexico - Vehicle Use Restrictions

Vehicle Use Restrictions

In Mexico City the "Hoy no circula" ("Today No Circulation") program is implemented. Every vehicle has a color sticker depending on the ending number of its plate, as well as a number to determine its pollution rate. Brand new cars "00" and recent models "0" are exempt; "Hoy no circula" only applies to vehicles older than 8 years, which have "1" and "2" designations. The program works by removing these vehicles from circulation one day during the week, and recently one Saturday per month, depending on their last license plate digit number. Said limitations occur as follows:

• Plates ending with 5 or 6 (yellow) cannot be driven on Mondays and the 1st Saturday of the current month.
• Plates ending with 7 or 8 (pink) cannot be driven on Tuesdays and the 2nd Saturday of the current month.
• Plates ending with 3 or 4 (red) cannot be driven on Wednesdays and the 3rd Saturday of the current month.
• Plates ending with 1 or 2 (green) cannot be driven on Thursdays and the 4th Saturday of the current month.
• Plates ending with 9 or 0 (blue) cannot be driven on Fridays and the 5th Saturday (if any) of the current month.

For example, a fictional 1985 Volkswagen Golf with 903-NRX plates won't be allowed to be driven on Wednesdays 18 September 2010, nor 16 October 2010, etc. The newer weekends restrictions have received criticism. Only a few months a year have five Saturdays, and so the blue-stickered cars will be removed only four or five weekends a year from circulation, while the rest of the cars will be weekend-banned once every month.