US moves a step closer to allowing Mexican trucks full access to US highways

International Herald Tribune ^ | Aug 18, 2007 | Associated Press

[djf]

WASHINGTON: Some Mexican trucks will be allowed to carry cargo anywhere in the United States as soon as a U.S. inspector general certifies safety and inspection plans, the administration of President George W. Bush announced Friday. The latest step toward implementing a controversial provision of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement drew instant condemnation from labor and driver-owner groups that fear the program will erode highway safety and eliminate U.S. jobs. The decision was announced by a Transportation Department notice in the Federal Register, a daily compendium of new federal rules read mostly by lobbyists and lawyers. A one-year demonstration project allowing 100 Mexican motor carriers full access to U.S. roads will begin as soon as the department's inspector general certifies that safety and inspection plans and facilities are sufficient to ensure the Mexican trucks are at least as safe as U.S. trucks. That requirement was imposed by Congress. Mexican trucks are now confined to commercial zones within about 25 miles (40.2 kilometers) of the border. The inspector general's report to Congress is expected soon. Teamster Union president Jim Hoffa questioned the timing — during Congress' August recess — of the administration's decision "to move forward with its hugely unpopular program to throw open our borders to unsafe Mexican trucks." Hoffa noted that the U.S. House of Representatives voted last month to cut off funding for the program but that the Senate has yet to vote. The Transportation Department concluded the demonstration, involving about 10 percent of the Mexican truckers who applied, "is sufficient to determine whether the safety oversight program" can ensure there will be no erosion of highway safety.

[kinoxi]

You quote money as the motivation. You are right. That is the only motivation. The negatives are disregarded in a morally warped mindset in favor of short term selfish materialism. There is no benefit here beyond money. The negatives are too numerous to count.

[Dante3]

This is bad news, something the terrorists would have pushed for. Whoever is in favor of this is not supporting WOT.

[kinoxi]

You should browse through some of the ‘murdered by illegals’ stories here on this site and tell me what you think these peoples lives are worth.

[upchuck]

As I posted the first time this article was posted:

I was reading a trucking industry newspaper in a Flying J truck stop recently. There were several articles about this in the paper. Many drivers are expressing fear of the Mexican trucks and the drivers.

I wonder how long it will be before some Mexican truck driver is responsible for killing a family on vacation, et al.

I have driven along the border where Mexican trucks can now legally drive. Piles of crap.

And I've had drivers tell me there's no way these trucks can pass the inspection stations along the Interstates. Maybe the Mexicans plan to restrict their driving to the back roads?

[fella]

Most of our truck manufactures have recently built or expanded plants in Mexico. Supposedly to make trucks for the overseas market. But trucks built there don't have to meet our exhaust standards, nor do they need to meet our safety and weight requirements. As an added bonus their drivers don't have to abide by our regulations. Saves money for CEO's all the way around.

Makes one wonder what's about to happen to our trucking industry.

[EEDUDE]

“Another issue the American people are against by a vast majority and still the govt. types knowing what is best will shove this up our butts.”

Just like Prop 187.

We are not governed, we are ruled.

My Dad, who leaned to the left, always said he didn’t like Republicans because they were in the pockets of big business.

After the last six years, I am inclined to agree with him.

Neither party is representing the interest of the middle class American.

[Lovebloggers]

I put quotes around border security because that is the guise that Hillary will take to put money back into the wallets of the teamster’s union.

The rest of your post is just silly. All anyone has to do around here is mention the word Mexico and hysteria ensues.

Why don’t you try looking into the matter instead of immediately taking the extreme position on it, oh and I am sorry but I don’t equate fat cat profits that teamsters make off of transporting these goods as ensuring my security.

[Lovebloggers]

So these Mexican companies are hiring illegals to transport these goods?

...or wait, that was the American companies in Texas that was doing that.

[Lovebloggers]

Money, capitalism bad. Gotcha.

I have an idea, why don’t you lobby hard to cease all trade with Mexico. That trade is just about selfish greed of the immoral capitalist corporate America anyway.

I think Hillary has everything you are looking for in her platform.

[kinoxi]

Most Americans with any amount of common sense understand that the illegal immigration problems need to be solved or at least reigned in to some manageable level. Opening a pipeline and expanding traffic of people and goods is contrary to that at this point in time. You make no valid rationale for this other than money. You take no consideration of the people being raped, robbed and killed by the criminal traffic we can't handle as it is. Your priories are clearly immoral by any definition of the term. You don't seem to be able to see a bigger picture beyond money here, quite sad.

To respond to your latest post. Yes, many trucks that come through the southern border to the US will be associated at some point with criminal activity. Whether it's bribes for Mexican liscensing, fake IDs from the same, general bribes to the Mexican authorities, or the more common drug/illicit material/people smuggling. They smuggle themselves across the border because of the crime and corruption in Mexico. You propose we expand that pipeline to corruption.

[kinoxi]

Money, capitalism bad. Gotcha. I have an idea, why don’t you lobby hard to cease all trade with Mexico. That trade is just about selfish greed of the immoral capitalist corporate America anyway.

You can't make a point beyond money. I've worked for myself, legally, most of my life. I enjoy a free capitalist society. You want to import corruption. BTW. Grow up.

[Lovebloggers]

This is really just hysteria. Whether you like it or not, trade with Mexico affects our economy.

I think the person who needs to grow up here is you.

Please pick a reason why this shouldn’t happen because the corruption stuff you are spewing now has nothing to do with opening the borders. I thought it was high way safety? Illegal problems really have little to do with commerce crossing the borders, which presently occurs daily — except instead for the greasing of hands of teamster unions to transport these goods on the US side, these shipping companies will bring the goods directly to the business who purchased them. Their trucks will have to pass rigorous inspections and secure insurance through a US insurance carrier. Their drivers meeting the same DOT standards our drivers do, and they must understand and speak English.

This is a two way street by the way. We allow Mexico to transport their goods to our companies, and Mexico allows the US to transport our goods to their companies.
This is great news for trade.

Your post pretty much reflects what I previousy stated — you want all trade with “corrupt” Mexico to cease because it will at some point be associated with criminal activity.

[Joe Boucher]

“Neither party is representing the interest of the middle class American.”
You got that right there EEDUDE.

[Quigley]

“Hysteria because Mexican companies are involved is just not warranted”

It IS warranted just because Mexican companies are involved. I would feel much better if it was any other country in the world that was sending their drivers here instead of mexico. Everyone needs to hide their wives and kids because the funeral business is going to get busy.

[Lovebloggers]

We do close to $1 billion in trade with them a day and the sky hasn’t fallen yet.

Imagine?

[kinoxi]

One of us is stating reactionary lies. I said nothing about eliminating trade with Mexico. Controlling the border before punching more holes in it WILL SAVE AMERICAN LIVES. You are against this. Your points are petty materialism, laws be damned. Your later posts have reverted to either childish insults (Clinton?) or flat out lies (suspend all trade with Mexico). If I wanted to converse with someone as delusional and obtuse as you appear to be I’d be logged on at the DU. Had I known I would have just ignored you.

[Liz]

US moves a step closer to allowing Mexican trucks full access to US highways.........they will carry truck loads of illegals to sanctuary cities.

Not to mention saturating the US with illegal drugs....the way trucked-in illegals will pay for their transporation across the border onto the US govt gravy train.

Our one consolation is that GWB didn't have a Nigerian nanny.

[Quigley]

“We do close to $1 billion in trade with them a day and the sky hasn’t fallen yet.”

I am sure you are personally going to reap many rewards when all this comes to pass.

I had an opportunity to speak with some truckers this afternoon and I ask them if they were excited about the chance they are going to get to pickup and deliver inside Mexico. They horselaughed at that idea and said the prez needs to blow that smoke in another direction cause it won’t happen.. They said you won’t find 2 truckers out of a hundred that would be stupid enough to go more than a mile or so past the border and into Mexico. They said it’s not worth being robbed, having your rig hi-jacked and having to constantly payoff crooked law enforcement for some imaginary violation of their laws.

[Lovebloggers]

Quite the opposite. Illegals have absolutely nothing to do with trade with Mexico, which is what this addresses.

You went from highway safety to criminal activity in the span of a few posts. It is you that has taken the extreme position on this issue and that resembles hysteria.

We trade with Mexico daily (those corrupt companies you like to refer to) to the tune of $1 billion. They are the United States’ #2 trading partner. They are not going to risk access to the United States in transporting their goods by running an illegal license racket out of the cab of the rig, or any such other nonsense. I will take this opportunity to point out that their rigs cross our borders and travel 25 miles to unloading areas daily. Yet I haven’t heard of any mass highway fatalities due to their presence on our highways, or anything else you have purported. If you have facts to back up your allegations then by all means let’s have them.

It was you not I that makes the claims that morals need to take precedence over business — why “morals” relate to transporting goods I have no idea. You then accused me of being immoral, loving money, yada yada yada and I close my eyes and yeah, sounds like a liberal to me. If you have a problem with these corrupt and criminal companies then I would just assume the “moral” thing to do would be to cease trade with them, no?

Bottom line is we trade with these alleged “corrupt” companies every single day. We are removing the archaic
system of transporting goods between countries which pads the pockets of Teamsters and increases the costs to consumers significantly. We have implemented strict regulations and oversight of this program. This is a pilot program that will involve a few select Mexican trucking companies. Before you get your panties further in a bunch why don’t you wait and see how this program works out.

But that would be the reasonable thing to do, so I am sure you aren’t interested in that.

Heck when it is all said and done it is Bush’s fault right? Now who is the one who sounds like they post on the DU?

[Lovebloggers]

Well the American Trucking Association approves the plan, so I am sure they can gather up a handful of brave souls to make the journey.

Now getting them to deliver to Harlem — well, that is still a problem....