Posted on 02/08/2008 10:17:25 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON – In her first public statements on the Mexican trucking controversy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters defended yesterday the pilot program that allows Mexican trucks to travel throughout the United States in defiance of a congressional order.
U.S. officials also responded to complaints that a Mexican carrier that withdrew from the program several days ago never should have qualified because of an allegedly poor safety record.
Peters got an earful of criticism from several lawmakers during a House appropriations transportation subcommittee hearing on President Bush's proposed budget.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, accused Peters of being in violation of the law for continuing the five-month-old program, which opened the U.S.-Mexico border to crossings by authorized trucks from both countries and allowed Mexican trucks to travel beyond a previous 25-mile limit. Congress later passed a law to shut off program funding.
“It's a mystery to me why, with all the other transportation needs we have in this country, you're spending money on a program that we specifically asked you not to do,” Kaptur said.
Peters reiterated the administration's view that the law enacted in December was too narrowly worded to end the program – scheduled to continue through September.
She emphasized what she said were the program's strict requirements to ensure that Mexican carriers comply with U.S. safety standards.
“There have been no safety incidents involving these vehicles to date,” Peters said.
None of the 42 Mexican trucks enrolled in the program has been involved in an accident, officials said.
They said the Mexican trucks have compiled an average 10 percent “out of service” rate since the program began – meaning that 10 percent of the vehicles that were pulled over for inspections were put out of service until violations were corrected.
That's less than half the 23 percent out-of-service rate for U.S. trucks, according to the agency.
The Teamsters Union, a foe of the project, slammed the Department of Transportation for allowing a Mexican carrier, Trinity Industries of Mexico, based in Piedras Negras, Mexico, to join the program after racking up an average of 112 safety violations per truck in the previous year. DOT spokesman Brian G. Turmail said the carrier was approved because the “vast majority of (violations) were relatively minor.”
Trinity qualified for the program in November but withdrew Feb. 1 and never sent any trucks into the United States beyond the commercial border strip.
Leonel Olivares, terminal manager at Trinity Industries in Eagle Pass, Texas, said its Mexican affiliate “never had intentions of the drivers actually driving into the States. They just wanted to look at the program,” he said.
Bush was so weak on immigration and the border, we should have stayed home or gone third party and let kerry win. /s
Come drive I-35 from Dallas to San Antonio and back, Mary. Better wear a safety helmet and have a crash cage installed.
You think Jorge made bad appointments...Wait till Juan gets in!
We won’t even notice it when a real card-carrying liberal takes over.
How can this administration defy a Congressional order? Isn’t that the lawmaking body?
Maybe some govt type penis heads defend mexican trucks on U.S.
highways but the vst majority of American citizens don’t.
Not that the govt gives a damn what the people want or think.
Right there president Bush?
SO very disappointed in ya there fella.
Bump to remember this name.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters
Some how I think this will be important someday.
What makes you say that?
“U.S. defends Mexico truck pilot program”
If only our government defended the border with aas much vigor.
FMCDH(BITS) (read my tagline and realize what I say)
I don't know but I got a hunch that it's going to get real ugly when the Teamsters realize that they've been sold down the river by their own government. Every Mexican truck will need a police escort and half the load will consist of spare tires to replace the ones that get slashed by a former US truck driver that got forced out of business by cheap and dangerous Mexican labor.
That is soooo not true!
Do you remember the crash with all the big rigs burning inside a tunnel in CA? Police never did find the drivers to 9 of the big rigs that burned; however, at least one of the drivers who were killed was from Mexico because his wife had to go to Mexico to get dental records so they could positively identify his body.
Needless to say, I blame Bush for this because this woman is only following his orders to keep the trucks rolling! Congress should bring charges against him!
Because Bush is a traitor and has assumed the powers of a dictator! Congress needs to bring him up on charges of "contempt of Congress."
They already know! They are in a fight for their very lives, and they're not going to roll over for Bush, who they hated before this all started. Hoffa is REALLY angry, and has called for her resignation. I wish he would have asked for Bush's resignation. He's the problem! He won't be happy until America is a third world country like Mexico.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
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