Posted on 08/30/2007 12:18:54 PM PDT by Pete-R-Bilt
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007 – The cross-border program with Mexico is apparently starting sooner rather than later.
According to media reports, officials within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration told members of the Teamsters union the border would open Saturday, Sept. 1.
Requests from Land Line for confirmation on the Teamster’s claim remained unanswered Wednesday afternoon by FMCSA.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association expressed outrage in response to learning the U.S. Department of Transportation plans to begin allowing Mexican trucks to bring cargo into the United States, against the will of the public and their nationally elected representatives.
“We are stunned at the contempt of the Administration toward the rule of law,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA. “And it’s also a slap in the face of every American, hard-working trucker.
“They are determined to open our highways to Mexico-domiciled trucking companies and truck drivers regardless of the concerns that have been raised by Congress and the American people.”
OOIDA as well as several other groups are preparing to file lawsuits seeking an injunction of the cross-border program that would force compliance with congressional mandates by the Department of Transportation.
The move by the DOT and FMCSA to open the border could be considered brazen by some, given the fact that the Office of Inspector General recently released a follow-up audit that still did not sign off on some of the prerequisites to opening the border.
The audits are required to be filed with Congress – which has not been in session since the release of the follow-up audit.
“This move by the DOT to open the border shows contempt for the American people, contempt for congressional mandates and contempt for the law,” Spencer said.
While the follow-up audit only tackled compliance with eight provisions in Section 350, another more comprehensive audit is already under way at the OIG’s office.
That audit will review compliance with 22 more provisions of Section 350 as required by Section 6901 of the U. S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007.
Even though the OIG’s office has launched its review of the proposed cross-border program and its compliance with Section 350, the audit obviously has not been completed.
Earlier in August when press reports emerged in Mexico that Mexican officials were preparing for the border to open at the end of the month, Melissa DeLaney, DOT spokeswoman, recited the familiar line for Land Line on Aug. 16 that nothing could happen without the Inspector General’s go-ahead. She said she was not aware of any preliminary report on the status of the pilot program.
“The IG is an independent entity. We don’t have a hand in the process of them doing this report,” she said. “We are complying with the law and the law clearly states this program cannot start until that process has been done.”
Contact: Leslie Miller (202) 624-6911 |
August 17, 2007
(Washington, D.C.) -- The Teamsters Union strongly opposes the Bush administration’s plans, announced today, to press forward with its unsafe cross-border trucking program despite repeated and overwhelming opposition from Congress and the American driving public.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in the Federal Register that it plans to proceed with the pilot project, which would allow unsafe Mexican trucks to travel freely along U.S. highways.
“It’s outrageous, yet not surprising, that the Bush administration would announce on a Friday during Congress’ August recess that it plans to recklessly move forward with its hugely unpopular program to throw open our border to unsafe Mexican trucks,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “President Bush’s fondness for secrecy is matched only by his willingness to defy Congress.
“Just last month, the House of Representatives voted to cut off funding for the cross-border trucking program,” Hoffa said. “The bill, however, must still pass the Senate. The Bush administration took the opportunity presented by the August recess to foist this foolhardy, dangerous plan onto the American people.”
Hoffa said the Teamsters are assessing possible legal action to prevent the initiation of the pilot program.
FMCSA said in its notice it would go ahead with the program once the inspector general completes a report required by the war supplemental appropriations act passed earlier this year.
On July 24, the House voted to amend the Transportation-HUD 2008 appropriations bill by limiting funding for the pilot project. The amendment had bipartisan support, with sponsorship by Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., Gary Miller, R-Calif., and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.
Among the reasons the Teamsters oppose the pilot program:
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada.
because our government regards us in such high esteem they’ve given us this to celebrat Labor Day
God help us all
el-pingadeer
I never thought I’d be rooting for the 9th circuit court for anything but GO LIBERALS
http://www.citizen.org/autosafety/Truck_Safety/mex_trucks/articles.cfm?ID=17032
Ironically it’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
boy do I feel Appreciated...
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada.
You think Hoffa is offensive . . . I was down in San Diego this last week and saw a Mexican Semi on the freeway going north. How did I know? License Plate--clearly south of the border (name was a town in Mexico and not a U.S. license plate). The vehicle was walled with advertisements on its four sides all in Spanish (similar to a U.S. semi that is all advertising.). The distinguishing feature here was it was all in Spanish.
The real offensive part and to me this is signature, the metal all over the vehicle was rusted and some parts clearly gone from being eaten by rust. It did not look safe and well maintained. If one saw this thing next to them on the road the foreign language advertising alone would piss them off, now if this driver was on meth or drunk, all I can say is ladies and gentlemen you think illegals on the street corners are bad, just wait till their trucks are on your freeways. God help us. Welcome to Amexico.
Hoffa is right about the timing. I might also add it is offensive to all Americans that pay taxes for safe roads and regulatory commission that are supposed to be there to protect us--HA!. That is where Hoff and his ilk are out of it. They think government is their nipple and protector. All of this south of the border invasion has shown us all what a complete and utter lie that is.
Why aren't the conservatives out protesting this. Just wait 'til you see 'em barrelling down the road next to you and your family. You are going to wish you had lined up at the border and used anything for a barracade.
I can’t believe this is happening.
Those who are in control of the country act like royalty without the noblesse oblige.
American labor groups/leaders for years!!!! have been trying to organize Mexico unions and join them together. They have not been successful as the Mexican government throws these American rabble rousers in jail for doing it and kicks them out of the country and will not allow them to return.
However the more intertwined we are with these Mexicans in all areas of labor, shipping etc we will see the unions spread and integrate with our own as they will recruit them on U.S. soil and it will be imported south by the Mexican nationals themselves. We need to be prepared for their success and international growth with these south of the border workers.
With these Mexican semis coming across, we just crossed a very distinct line going forward in our country and when those unions unite with these people it will be a Mexican national with power of numbers and eventual intimidation in our own country. Those protests in LA that gave us all those 'lovely' images of angry mob Mexicans--we will see them again, this time with U.S. labor unions entwined with them. Oh Joy.
I hope I am wrong.
We can’t say we didn’t know it wasn’t going to happen, can we?
America needs multiculturalists for diversity, or so I’ve been told.
those cross border POS’ run back and forth and have for the thirty some years I’ve been in the business.
they are a nuisance to locals but are not what is at stake here
we recently converted to ULSD ultra low sulpher diesel which isn’t sold in Mexico so there is an environmental factor
if a cop pulls over and runs a Mexican drivers license he won’t be able to validate it or the drivers status because there is no database in which to check
the mexican drivers have no hard outlined hours of service regs so if he crosses the border and starts a log with a fresh shift there’s no telling if he hasn't run for the last 24 hours straight from say mexico city
or if he has that he’s not loaded on coke or crank or some other drug because they have no certified drug testing labs to check
the mexican states have no way to database between each other let alone anything usable for our law enforcement to use
and that only brushes the surface of them moving around, it doesn't even begin to cover the labor or wage aspects...
If I remember correctly this was about what we were just starting to talk about when we met...
well here we are... again.
Source:
OWNER-OPERATOR INDEPENDENT DRIVERS ASSOCIATION - REPRESENTING TRUCKERS
http://www.ooida.com/
Some say border to open to Mexican trucks Saturday
http://tinyurl.com/2jmmlo
Source:
Bloomberg.com financial markets commodities news
http://www.bloomberg.com/
Teamsters, Groups Sue to Keep Mexico Trucks From US
http://tinyurl.com/3xlk4u
Letter to Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO)
http://tinyurl.com/39x6sx
BTW ya know how your president said this was gonna be a great oppertunity for American Truckers as well as mexicans?
here ya go...
Manuel Gomez, advisor to CANACAR, was quoted by T21 as saying the Mexican secretary of transportation still has not authorized U.S. motor carriers to enter Mexico.
http://www.truckstopusa.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1634
>If I remember correctly this was about what we were just starting to talk about when we met...<
I think you’re right. Didn’t we also discuss this that time we were out on the desert looking around?
I heard a rumor the other morning that American truck manufacturers were financing some of the trucks these Mexicans are going to be driving.
yes sir, I think you’re correct
poor little mouse
I appreciate ya Pete-R-Bilt!
What you share makes this even more astounding to me. If Mexico and the U.S. had similar cultural norms and even governmental structures, values, regulation etc, I could see something like this going through somewhat seamlessly. Yet the case is clearly the opposite.
How could this happen so fast and without much protest? If I was a U.S. driver I would be pissed. You guys have rules to mind and serious regulations(as do all U.S. citizen drivers). Them? Nata.
Where is the respect and concern for our citizenry? We put these politicians in power, why do we not hold their feet to the fire when they burn us so very terribly and give us and our country the finger? I am getting sick of these yahoos screwing us over every time there is an issue that regards Mexicans and our country.
I am a big supporter of business, free market, government out of our lives as much as possible. But this is just the sort of violation (as is the illegal invasion) that a government should regulate and keep to a minimum to protect its citizenry, while allowing our free market to thrive. By the way it pretty much goes without saying our freeways are already full enough down here.
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