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Mexico trucks to roll on U.S. highways
Yahoo News ^ | September. 1, 2007 | John Crawley

Posted on 09/01/2007 11:04:13 AM PDT by Reagan Man

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration can proceed with a plan to open the U.S. border to long haul Mexican trucks as early as next week after an appeals court rejected a bid by labor, consumer and environmental interests to block the initiative.

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The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco late on Friday denied an emergency petition sought by the Teamsters union, the Sierra Club and consumer group Public Citizen to halt the start of a one-year pilot program that was approved by Congress after years of legal and political wrangling.

The Transportation Department welcomed the decision and said in a statement that allowing more direct shipments from Mexico will benefit U.S. consumers.

The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement approved broader access for ground shipments from both countries but the Clinton administration never complied with the trucking provision. A special tribunal ordered the Bush administration to do so in 2001.

"This is the wrong decision for working men and women," Jim Hoffa, president of the Teamsters, said in a statement after the court ruling. "We believe this program clearly breaks the law." The Teamsters represents truckers that would be affected by the change.

The emergency stay was sought on grounds the administration's pilot program had not satisfied the U.S. Congress' requirements on safety and other issues. But the appeals court ruled otherwise.

SAFETY ASPECTS

The administration plans to start the program on September 6. Transportation Department officials hope to receive final clearance early next week from the department's inspector general's office, which is reviewing its safety aspects, and finalize details with Mexican authorities.

The Mexican government must grant reciprocal access to U.S. trucks under NAFTA. That provision is not expected to be a problem, regulators said.

Mexican trucks operating in the United States have for years been restricted to U.S. points near certain large border crossings where their goods are transferred to trucks owned by U.S. firms.

Under the pilot program, Mexican long haul trucking companies that have met safety, licensing, and other U.S. requirements will be allowed to operate their rigs throughout the country. Proponents say this will reduce costs and speed up shipments.

Trucking regulators said in a court filing the goal is to gradually accommodate 100 Mexican trucking companies by the end of the pilot program, or roughly 540 large trucks.

But opponents said those figures do not reflect the number of companies that could seek access to U.S. roads if the pilot is successful, which they said raises safety concerns.

"This (pilot) program is basically a show trial. They haven't provided notice up front about who will participate. You just don't know what the program will look like," said Bonnie Robin-Vergeer, attorney for Public Citizen.

Public Citizen and the Teamsters still plan to proceed with a lawsuit they filed in federal court, challenging the Mexican truck program on broader grounds. That case will not likely be decided until next year.

Trucks from Canada have no operating restrictions in the United States.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 9thcircuit; immigrantlist; nafta; publiccitizen; ruling; sierraclub; teamsters; trucking; unions
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I suspect companies like Schneider have been among the strongest SUPPORTERS of this measure. They're the ones who stand to gain the most from this -- by owning large fleets of trucks in Mexico and having them run loads up into the U.S.
21 posted on 09/01/2007 11:30:11 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: Reagan Man

ok, we all know what these truckers will be bring into the country, illegal drugs and human smuggling,

what will they be bringing home to their country???


22 posted on 09/01/2007 11:31:13 AM PDT by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END WELFARE.i)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I suspect companies like Schneider have been among the strongest SUPPORTERS of this measure. They're the ones who stand to gain the most from this -- by owning large fleets of trucks in Mexico and having them run loads up into the U.S.
23 posted on 09/01/2007 11:31:30 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: logician2u
For consumers, manufacturers, the retail industry, and the majority of Americans, having Mexican trucks on American highways will eventually be a great benefit.

FGS! We are surrounded by traitors...

Profits before country, regardless of consequences.

24 posted on 09/01/2007 11:31:38 AM PDT by dragnet2
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I suspect companies like Schneider have been among the strongest SUPPORTERS of this measure. They're the ones who stand to gain the most from this -- by owning large fleets of trucks in Mexico and having them run loads up into the U.S.
25 posted on 09/01/2007 11:32:03 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: Reagan Man

Ah we American tax payers have been coughing up the dollars to pave the road of I-35 South up to North corridor. Welcome mat already funded.


26 posted on 09/01/2007 11:33:28 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
"I work in logistics for Schneider National ... "

Because we're on the same side in this one ... I'll refrain from any Schnieder jokes ... which are myriad.

27 posted on 09/01/2007 11:34:18 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: logician2u
It appears that illegal alien and drug smuggling, perhaps even terrorist smuggling, just got even easier. But that's probably not the great benefit you were referring to with regard to consumers, manufacturers and retailers, right?

I hope that the DOT will require the Mexican truckers to follow the exact same regs that our truckers have to follow, carry the same or higher insurance that ours have to carry, that their trucks meet or exceed the same safety and equipment standards ours have to meet and that their drivers are licensed to the same or higher standards that ours have to be licensed to.

28 posted on 09/01/2007 11:35:23 AM PDT by GBA ( God Bless America!)
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To: logician2u

Whoa! Seems I’ve heard this argument before.

Port authorities have a woefully inadequate system of inspection. With these trucks added to the burden, I predict that smuggling and human trafficking will increase exponentially.

That’s not racism. It’s just prudent.


29 posted on 09/01/2007 11:36:22 AM PDT by tennteacher (Duncan Hunter '08)
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To: Lexington Green
Every American killed by these Mexican trucks is a homicide committed by GWB and our government.

If only they could be held accountable.

30 posted on 09/01/2007 11:38:35 AM PDT by giotto
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To: dragnet2
We have these Mexicans smuggling in hundreds of tons of drugs EVERY YEAR, not to mention illegal human cargo by the tens of thousands...And Lord knows what else.

And you think that denying Mexican truckers access to US highways would in any way reduce that? Dream on.

And suggest some American labor union is the problem?

The problem? Where did I suggest that?

I merely pointed out the obvious: that the unionists will consider this order bad news, as they don't like competition. Unions like to maintain their monopoly over certain industries, not wanting anyone to undercut them -- either foreign or domestic.

Tell me, do you also fear competition? Is that what drives your disdain for Mexican truckers?

31 posted on 09/01/2007 11:41:40 AM PDT by logician2u
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To: vox humana

They don’t need an excuse. You actually think that average citizen’s lives are important to Congress of the President?
We are all just collateral damage. That is obvious by the number of American citizens who have been sexually assaulted, robbed, murdered, etc. by illegal aliens.


32 posted on 09/01/2007 11:42:10 AM PDT by sheana
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To: giotto
Every American killed by these Mexican trucks and the drugs and IED's they will bring in is a homicide committed by GWB and our government.
33 posted on 09/01/2007 11:42:32 AM PDT by BigFinn (It doesn't take a 5th grader to build the Fence.)
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To: vox humana

Congress of the President?

should read .......Congress or the President
typing skills, sheesh


34 posted on 09/01/2007 11:44:21 AM PDT by sheana
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To: Reagan Man

We live northeast of Houston in Kingwood, Texas. For the past 8-9 months, I have noticed an increasing number of Mexican railroad engines and cars passing down the tracks along I-59 and south of C.R. 105. I do not ever recall seeing these pass through east Texas before. They are all marked “Ferrocarril Mexicano”.....


35 posted on 09/01/2007 11:44:59 AM PDT by Hardshell
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To: BigFinn
Every American killed by these Mexican trucks and the drugs and IED's they will bring in is a homicide committed by GWB and our government.

What about what they take out? Stolen property, laundered money, sexual slaves, hostages for ransom, children.

36 posted on 09/01/2007 11:47:20 AM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: television is just wrong
what will they be bringing home to their country???

Money? /sarc

In all seriousness, don't you expect that even Mexicans will have figured out a way to fill their trucks for the return trip? It's not really something we on Free Republic need to worry about.

37 posted on 09/01/2007 11:47:22 AM PDT by logician2u
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To: giotto

I reckon it will be decades before we have a final tally on what damage El Presidente Jorge Boooosh has done to this country.
How in hell were we talked into voting for him?
May God help us.


38 posted on 09/01/2007 11:48:03 AM PDT by biff
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To: dragnet2

They will receive a reward for opening up more jobs for illegals.


39 posted on 09/01/2007 11:48:18 AM PDT by A Strict Constructionist (Harvard, Yale, Princeton zoological parks for RINO's)
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To: logician2u
We have these Mexicans smuggling in hundreds of tons of drugs EVERY YEAR, not to mention illegal human cargo by the tens of thousands...And Lord knows what else.

And you think that denying Mexican truckers access to US highways would in any way reduce that?

Well hells bells, lets just let them all in then.

You betcha, man, lets just open the freaking borders to tens of thousands of Mexican truck. Good thinking Fred. We can't do anything about it anyway. Right?

I merely pointed out...

I know what you pointed out slick...

And I merely pointed out we're surrounded by traitors.

Who you support here is inordinately clear.

40 posted on 09/01/2007 11:48:29 AM PDT by dragnet2
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