“Canada’s rigs cross our borders 24/7, this is no different”
There is no way to make any kind of comparison between Canada and that rathole country called Mexico.Canadian drivers at least have the ability to drive safely. I don’t think a Mexican has the coordination to ride a bicycle without running into something.
Cross Border Truck Safety Inspection Program
News
DOT 21-07
Friday, February 23, 2007
Contact: Sarah Echols
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
New Program to Allow U.S. Trucks into Mexico for the First Time Ever,
Change Way Some Mexican Trucks Operate Within the United States
El Paso, Texas – U.S. trucks will for the first time be allowed to make deliveries in Mexico under a year-long pilot program that expands cross border trucking operations with Mexico, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced today during a visit to truck inspection facilities in El Paso, Texas.
U.S. trucks will get to make deliveries into Mexico while a select group of Mexican trucking companies will be allowed to make deliveries beyond the 20-25 mile commercial zones currently in place along the Southwest border.
Secretary Peters said the new demonstration program was designed to simplify a process that currently requires Mexican truckers to stop and wait for U.S. trucks to arrive and transfer cargo. She said this process wastes money, drives up the cost of goods, and leaves trucks loaded with cargo idling inside U.S. borders. The Secretary added that under current rules, U.S. trucks are not allowed into Mexico because the United States refused to implement provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement that would have permitted safe cross-border trucking.
“The United States has never shied away from opportunities to compete, to open new markets and to trade with the world. Now that safety and security programs are in place, the time has come for us to move forward on this longstanding promise with Mexico,” Secretary Peters said.
“We are committed to retaining a high level of security and safety standards under this program,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “The tough security measures we already have in place will remain unchanged, resulting in a smart and secure approach to safeguarding the border, while allowing for American and Mexican carriers to deliver cargo outside of arbitrary commercial zones.”
“Today’s announcement is another sign of the strength of the U.S.-Mexico relationship and a further step towards making our economies globally competitive, promoting mutual economic growth and prosperity while continuing to protect the safety of our borders,” said Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.
“Safety is the number one priority and strict U.S. safety standards won’t change,” Secretary Gutierrez continued. “We will continue to work closely with President Calderon and his administration on ways we can further enhance the commerce of our countries and the competitiveness of our hemisphere without sacrificing safety or security.”
Secretary Peters noted that the Department of Transportation has put in place a rigorous inspection program to ensure the safe operation of Mexican trucks crossing the border. Yesterday, Peters and Mexican Secretary of Communications and Transportation Luis Téllez announced a program to have U.S. inspectors conduct in-person safety audits to make sure that participating Mexican companies comply with U.S. safety regulations. The regulations require all Mexican truck drivers to hold a valid commercial drivers license, carry proof they are medically fit, comply with all U.S. hours-of-service rules and be able to understand questions and directions in English.
Secretary Peters said those Mexican truck companies that may be allowed to participate in the one-year program will all be required to have insurance with a U.S. licensed firm and meet all U.S. safety standards. Companies that meet these standards will be allowed to make international pick up and deliveries only and will not be able to move goods from one U.S. city for delivery to another, haul hazardous materials or transport passengers.
The first Mexican trucks to be authorized under the program will begin traveling beyond U.S. border areas once the initial in-person safety inspections are done and proof-of-insurance verified. Secretary Peters noted that with the announcement of the program, Mexico will begin to consider applications from U.S. trucking firms for licensing rights to operate within Mexico. Approximately 100 U.S. operators would be licensed by Mexico for cross-border operations.
In 2001, Congress authorized the cross border inspection program and listed 22 safety requirements that had to be in place before other steps were implemented. The Secretary noted that the Department’s independent Inspector General’s reports have confirmed success in meeting the congressional requirements. In addition, Secretary Peters said the Department has invested $500 million since 1995 to modernize border safety facilities and hire and train the over 500 federal and state inspectors who inspect trucks crossing the border every day.
“We have years of experience, we have a rigorous safety inspection plan in place and we have the facilities and the trained professionals to carry it out,” Secretary Peters said. “Through this new pilot program, we are finding a better way to do business with one of this nation’s largest trading partners, and in doing so, bringing U.S. drivers more opportunity, U.S. consumers more buying power and the U.S. economy even more momentum,” she added.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/cbtsip/dot2107.htm
Strict oversight and rigs inspected rigorously resuling in lower costs to the consumer? Yeah who wants that.
Allowing them to cross the border and sit there until the teamsters show up to unload/load and transport them is the way to go and who cares how much that is costing the consumer.
Of course American truck companies all have impeccable driving standards:
“18 wheels and countless dangers
Trucking companies often put non-English speakers, felons, addicts in driver’s seat, but rarely take blame in fatal crashes
01:31 AM CDT on Sunday, September 17, 2006
By GREGG JONES, HOLLY BECKA, JENNIFER LaFLEUR and STEVE McGONIGLE / The Dallas Morning News
SMILEY N. POOL/DMN
Traffic moves along State Highway 114 near Paradise. On this stretch of road, Kim Hughes, Shiloh Hughes, Afton Hughes Royse and Joyce Watkins were killed in an accident involving a gravel truck in December of 2002. First of three parts
On a sunny December afternoon, Kim Hughes turned onto State Highway 114 in Wise County and headed west toward home in Paradise. Christmas was eight days away. Four generations were crammed into her GMC Yukon after a morning of holiday shopping.
In the cab of an 18-wheeler leased to TXI Transportation Co., Ricardo Rodriguez drove east on Highway 114, riding herd on 73,000 pounds of truck and a trailerload of sand. An illegal immigrant from Mexico, Mr. Rodriguez had used a fake Social Security number to get a Texas commercial driver’s license six years earlier. He had found steady work around North Texas driving rock trucks and other 18-wheelers, his history of immigration arrests and truck safety violations ignored or overlooked.”
As anyone who has driven within the midst of inclement weather toward the George Washington Bridge alongside these rigs who-are-desperate-to-get-there-before-the-bridge-is-closed-to-them-due-to-wind-conditions can tell you, they all can be quite dangerous.
Hysteria because Mexican companies are involved is just not warranted.