Posted on 08/04/2008 2:14:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON – A controversial one-year program allowing Mexican trucks to travel deep into the United States will be extended for two more years, federal officials announced Monday.
John H. Hill, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said the extension would allow for the collection of more data to determine whether Mexican trucks can operate safely in the United States.
Opponents quickly denounced the move, which some had been expecting despite their protests that the program poses a danger on U.S. highways.
Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, accused U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters of continuing to “flout the will” of Congress.
He said he would push for the passage of legislation to shut down the program when Congress returns in September. Last week, Oberstar's committee approved a bill to end the program on a unanimous bipartisan vote.
Hill said federal law allows a pilot program to last up to three years.
“We intend this extension to reassure trucking companies that they will have sufficient time to realize a return on their investment, and we anticipate additional participation with this extra time,” he said.
Although the program allows up to 100 carriers from each country to participate, only 26 Mexican carriers and 10 from the United States have joined the program, which was set to end next month.
Hill said there have been no accidents or safety incidents involving Mexican participants in the program.
Opponents, including the Teamsters Union, contend that Mexican drivers are not held to the same safety standards as U.S. drivers.
The Bush administration began the program last September as the first step in complying with a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement that requires opening the border to long haul truck traffic.
Congress passed a law last year to end the program, but U.S. transportation officials interpreted it as only applying to future pilot programs.
And let me guess, you heard from someone who heard from someone that they were Mexican trucks belonging to this program?
Once they hit the states aren’t they paying the same price for gas as we are or does some kind of subsidy or such, giving them for a price break on gasoline here in the states, come with this agreement? (Wouldn’t surprise me a bit)
And wasn’t there a tanker truck recently stopped that was filled with illegal aliens? Not sure if it was part of the Mexican truckers program but I think this statement is bogus...
“Hill said there have been no accidents or safety incidents involving Mexican participants in the program.”
You are right.. the tanker was filled with illegal aliens... more money hauling illegals than produce or freight...
NO ONE is immune to accidents.
“From”.
Sorry, my mistake. I was laughing too hard.
And that's the way I read the article--that there has been no serious incident.
I just think it's amusing, because the moment a serious accident happens, people will ping me personally to rub my face in it. Now I'm being asked to wait until their bias is "confirmed." And it's been what, over a year? Clearly, these machines are deathraps with rolling diplomatic immunity. /sarc
Oh, I forgot to add personal-injury attorneys. LOL
;)
Here they are telling everyone else about their superior brand of "diversity" and they turn right around with this thing about Mexicans. When I lived in there I don't remember anyone complaining about Canadian cars or Japanese ships --even Russian ships were welcome.
OK, California's a pioneer state, leaving Mexico turning their national flag a state flag; and they're now leading US trends with an economy bigger than most nations. Same with Texas, but without the liberal hypocrisy.
Sadly alot of our jobs went south of the border with NAFTA but even with that the number one export from Mexico is Mexicans? Go figure.
How long before we see Mr Xinh Hou Chu with a Mexican commercial driving license.
How right you are!!! By the way I have a question - when we drive into Mexico (those brave enough) isn't it necessary to be super insured? Do the same rules exist when the truckers, et al, come into this country?
The trucks were my lifeline. Without them I didn't have a job. I have seen safe trucks, and unsafe trucks. I have seen safe drivers, and unsafe drivers. I've heard stories from drivers sitting in my office. My drivers have gotten arrested, gotten into accidents, and checked themselves into rehab. Some of my drivers would call me on their cell phones when they spotted my competition's material sitting in a client's yard. Some of my drivers weren't worth spit.
So I'm not being shallow at all . . . I just don't believe your story.
All international motor carriers in the U.S. must be insured by a FMCSA-approved insurance carrier.
I'm confused. Would you not want to know if your clients were buying from your competitors and how much/what type? I would figure your drivers were doing you a service-helping you figure out what you could do better and obtain that business you were losing to your competitor.
I was highlighting the difference between a driver who went above the call of duty, and the ones who sucked.
excerpt
Termination of Pilot Program- Not later than September 6, 2008, the Secretary of Transportation shall terminate the one-year cross border demonstration project the Secretary started on September 6, 2007, as described in the Federal Register notices dated May 1, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg. 23883), June 8, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg. 31877), and August 17, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg. 46263).
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.