Cross-Border Trucking Program Debate. . . Is back!

The last time we heard from this was back in 2009 when an amendment was passed to stop the deal, many have not clue that Calderon (Mexican president) is in the US to visit Obama, to push for the deal again.

We all know that the problem among many is the lost of jobs for American truckers if the deal is pass, but many have not knowledge of the security dangers that this Mexican truckers will bring to the US roads.

As safety standards in the US doesn't apply to them.

Advocates against the bill also bring other issues, with this truck running rampant and freely into US they will bring from drug and illegal immigrants trafficking along with a variety of black market.

Another thing this program is to be pay by American tax payer dollars

The program was brought to an abrupt halt in March of 2009 when an amendment ending the program was passed as part of an omnibus spending bill. The 1 1/2-year-old pilot program gave access to up to 500 Mexican trucks to drive deeper into the United States.

The North American Free Trade Agreement was supposed to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. roadways by 1995, however, opposition led by safety advocates and organized labor managed to keep the borders closed to Mexican trucks, more-or-less. Since 1982, Mexican trucks have been allowed to go 20 miles deep into the U.S., at which point they must unload their cargo onto an American truck.

In response to Congress cutting off funds for the program last year, the Mexican government imposed a slew of tariffs on 90 U.S. imports totaling $2.4 billion. Mexican officials have rotated those tariffs periodically to hit as many industries, businesses and parts of the country as possible.

www.economyincrisis.org...

reply to post by marg6043

I don't know about the program, but some deal has been struck.

White House officials pointed to the trucking deal as a sign of good relations. Mexico would eliminate half the $2.4 billion in punitive tariffs on pork, cosmetics, Christmas trees, chemicals, pet food and hundreds of other products once the deal is final, perhaps by next month, officials said. It would erase the rest when one of its trucking companies is approved to operate in the United States.

seattletimes.nwsource.com...

And seems many of the safety issues have been covered.

All Mexican trucks will be required to have electronic on- board recorders that track compliance with hours-of-service and related laws, according to the White House. In addition, the Department of Transportation will review drivers' records, ensure they all understand English and require that they are tested for drugs

www.ohio.com...

they will bring from drug and illegal immigrants trafficking along with a variety of black market.

Don't you think US customs is the problem if Mexican truckers are successful in bringing across the things mentioned above?

This issue IMO is a non-issue. The US is the one who pushed NAFTA, said Mexican truckers were allowed and signed on the dotted line.

reply to post by jam321


Sadly the same way that the government regulated the banking system, until it cause the economic crisis will be the same way that they will regulated this truckers.

In America everybody turn to the other side as long as the ones on the top gets their profit margin at the expenses of American tax payer safety and jobs while funeling money to their favorite political whores.

What a shame.

reply to post by marg6043


I've followed this nightmare on wheels.

What pisses me off is that DOT makes American truckers jump through hoops with drug-testing, CDL training and endorsements they have to for Hazmat and Tanker, and other loads they might haul.

Now we're supposed to let the totally incompetent and criminally crooked Mexican government be solely responsible for certifying that their truckers are safe to drive in this country?

F'ing crazy.

EDIT: Starred and Flagged!

reply to post by jam321


Yeah, like I trust a Mexican drug test certification: you can probably buy one for 50 bucks down there. You can probably buy a Mexican CDL for a couple of hundred.

I've got a suggestion for all American truckers who now wade through an obstacle course DOT paperwork and tests: go south of the border with $250 bucks and get a Mexican CDL and Cert.

Exactly, I agree, one way for our government to eat more at the earnings of truckers in the US is with all kind of regulated licenses and testing.

But that is not the case with labor cheap truckers from Mexico that will be able to operate at will in the US for less money.

This means eroding more the job opportunities in the US.

reply to post by marg6043


I wonder exactly how the payment or these truckers will work. For example, US companies can pay foreign workers cheep foreign wages, consider these are Mexican companies, can they pay them Mexican wages, or would it be like a legal migrant worker requiring minimum wage?

I am more inclined to think it will be Mexican wages. We will now be legally importing cheaper worker, driving down US employment.

I'm knew the Obama administrations number one concern was job growth, I was just stupid enough to assume that meant US worker job growth, not foreign workers. Thanks for another pro-American move Mr. President.

Yeah the government up here in my province isn't much better. No one young wanted to work at the factories anymore, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week at minimum wage. Instead of the factory offering better wagest, the government just pays for a bunch of jamaicans and haitians to come work during the peak times. They get free rent in houses within walking distance, money for food, and get paid minimum wage on top of it... Forces people to drive hours away to find decent work. Of course that keeps the rich factory owners profit margin up, happy, and giving nice "donations".

reply to post by Wolf321


Yes it will be the wages that they get pay back in Mexico, they are still Mexican base companies owned by US interest.

America corporate industries has been importing foreign workers for decades, even oversea with the H1 visas, while our children graduate from college unable to find a job because somebody from India trained by tax payer money is brought to the US to take the jobs.

This outrageous crisis was created by corporate American under the umbrella of US no having enough skill educated workers.

We as a nation are reversing to colonial times, somebody is making the profits while the nation is roting in poverty.