BREAKING NEWS: FMCSA proceeding with cross-border plan

[greg3564]

Well, once again the will of the people is ignored. Makes me wonder why I take the time to write my representatives, when all Bush does is ignore them and us and do what he wants.

Friday, Aug. 17, 2007 – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced this morning its intent to move ahead with the Mexican truck pilot program. In a 27-page notice in the Federal Register, the agency also reported that a necessary piece of final paperwork has been submitted to Congress and is expected to be made public any day.

After being stubbornly silent on the project, in the Aug. 17 Federal Register, agency officials reacted with a statement that FMCSA has “reviewed, assessed and evaluated” the required safety measures outlined in the May announcement.

Madeleine Chulumovich, spokesperson for the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General’s Office, confirmed for Land Line today that Congress now has the IG’s regular audit on eight Section 350 requirements. An additional evaluation demanded in June 2007 via a provision in the Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act is not yet complete. Chulumovich said there was no time frame on that report but that the IG was working “expeditiously” to finish it.

As soon as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Inspector General’s follow-up report to Congress has been approved and the FMSCA tends to any follow-up actions raised by the IG, it’s full speed ahead.

In response to this morning’s announcement, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association expressed disappointment in learning the Mexican cross-border trucking pilot program is set to begin against the will of the public and their elected representatives.

“We are gravely concerned, but not surprised by the administration’s announcement,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA.

“They are determined to open our highways to Mexico-domiciled trucking companies and truck drivers regardless of the concerns that have been raised by Congress and the American people.

“To this point, the administration’s response to congressional directives related to the program has been minimally compliant at best. They certainly haven’t adhered to the spirit of what Republicans and Democrats in Congress intended in recent legislation.”

In the announcement notice, officials from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revealed that it had received about 2,330 public comments on the program and that “most of the commenters expressed concerns that Mexico-domiciled trucking companies pose a safety risk to the traveling public.”

While the vast majority of the comments were submitted by individuals and were “no more than a few sentences,” the FMCSA notice stated that a number of groups and organizations had submitted detailed comments, including OOIDA, AFL-CIO, the Teamsters, the ATA, the Oregon DOT, Public Citizen, PATT, CRASH and 114 members of Congress.

All of those groups, and more, were opposed to the program.

FMCSA cited a few specific comments in support of the program, which came from the San Antonio, TX, Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation and U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, a Republican from Arizona.

In its comments, OOIDA stated that the FMCSA has not met the legal requirements to begin the pilot program, which would allow 100 Mexico-based trucking companies to operate in the U.S.

In the notice published Friday, the FMCSA officials flatly state that they have met those legal requirements “through past rulemakings and other agency actions.”

The announcement in the Federal Register came two days after the Mexican transportation secretary issued a press release stating that the Mexican government had decided to stick to the implementation date set for late August.

To read the Federal Register document containing today’s announcement, click here.

– By Land Line staff

[GMAN]

Just follow the money. Who is benefiting financially from this opening of our border? The will of the people is being ignored. This is being forced down out throats just like the new Homeland Insecurity Agency. It is past time to replace all of those in office. They ignore the will of the people, so they don't deserve out vote or support.

[Mr. Ford95]

I wrote both my Senators on the immigration bill and asked why they would go against the people of their state and vote against new measures to curb the flow illegals. Only one wrote back and fully explained his position, he voted against it because he felt the bill should be more in-depth and more clear as to exactly what it all meant. Does show that some listen, the other never wrote me back which only further's what his true intentions are: in it for the money.

[ben45750]

Typical OOIDA propaganda saying that the FMSCA is proceeding with the cross-border plan. They are not proceeding with the "plan", they are proceeding with the research to see if the Mexican carriers even have the ability to operate legally in the United States (before they proceed with the final plan) . Just as a corporation forms an exploratory committee to find out if a plan will work or fail, or a grand jury convening to see if their is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.

Federal Register: August 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 159)

SUMMARY: The FMCSA announces its intent to proceed with a project to
demonstrate the ability of Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate
safely in the United States, beyond the commercial zones along the
U.S.-Mexico border. On May 1, 2007, FMCSA published a notice in the
Federal Register announcing its plans to initiate a project as part of
the Agency's implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) cross-border trucking provisions, and requesting public comment
on those plans. On June 8, 2007, FMCSA published a notice in response
to section 6901(b)(2)(B) of the ``U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care,
Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007''
(the 2007 Act) seeking public comment on certain additional details
concerning the demonstration project. The FMCSA has reviewed, assessed
and evaluated the required safety measures as noted in the previous
notice, and considered all the comments received as of July 31, 2007 in
response to the May 1 and June 8 notices. Once the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Inspector General completes his report to Congress, as
required by section 6901(b)(1) of the 2007 Act, and the Agency
completes

[greg3564]

Typical OOIDA propaganda saying that the FMSCA is proceeding with the cross-border plan.

Well actually it's being reported in mainstream media too. I actually read it on MSNBC first, then went to OOIDA's site to see if they had info and they did. Here's another article about the Mexican govt getting ready for a launch later this month.

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007 – A Mexican publication that covers Mexico’s transportation industry reported Wednesday that the Secretariat of Communications and Transportes said that the cross-border pilot program is coming by the end of this month.

Despite continued opposition from Mexican trucker group – CANACAR – the country’s transportation secretary claims the plan is on the move, according to the transportation publication T21.

In a business meeting on Tuesday, Mexican Transportation Secretary Luis Tellez Kuenzler announced that “necessary conditions” in Mexico are a reality. He also said he had been informed by the U.S. Department of Transportation that 37 Mexican carriers have been evaluated as satisfactory.

T21 also reported that on Wednesday, Tellez stated through a press release that the necessary conditions existed to develop the project and declared the Mexican government has decided to stick to the proposed start date, which is the last week of August.

While the Mexican government is chatting up the subject, the U.S. DOT is deadly quiet.

Melissa DeLaney, DOT spokesperson, recited the familiar line for Land Line on Thursday that nothing could happen without the Inspector General’s go-ahead. She said she was not aware of any preliminary report on the status of the pilot program.

“The IG is an independent entity. We don’t have a hand in the process of them doing this report,” she said. “We are complying with the law and the law clearly states this program cannot start until that process has been done.”

T21 reported officials from the Mexican government will meet next week with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters in Tijuana to “see the progress of the program” and to “guarantee the start.”

Delaney confirmed to Land Line that Peters was, indeed, going to Mexico next week.

“She is taking congressional staff down there next week, to highlight border operations, to show them an inspection, show them a ‘PASA’ (Pre-Authorization Safety Audit),” she told Land Line. “(It’s) a very standard trip that happens in recess. Not the first time they’ve taken staff to the border to look at the operations down there.”

[Cluggy619]

It's funny how they can't decide on the HOS rules for the American driver, but they can decide to open the boarders to the Mexican drivers.

Of course, this only means one thing.

"BRING THE SALSA WHEN YOU COME UP HERE!!"

[greg3564]

Here's an article from the San Diego Tribune. I'll be glad when Bush and his "screw the will of the people and reward big business" administration are gone. And to think I voted for the guy twice.

WASHINGTON – A federal transportation agency yesterday defended President Bush's plan to open the border to long-haul Mexican truck traffic in a response to overwhelmingly negative public views of the proposal.

The 27-page defense appearing in the Federal Register advances the controversial cross-border trucking pilot program one step closer to implementation.

Online: To read the full government report, click on: http://www.access.gpo.gov/ su_docs/fedreg/ a070817c.html
Scroll down to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and click on link to "NAFTA cross-border trucking provisions."


Bush has sought to conduct the program as part of his effort to comply with a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement requiring the United States and Mexico to open their borders to each other's commercial trucks.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which would conduct the program, acknowledged that the vast majority of the more than 2,300 public comments it received were opposed to the proposed one-year experiment.

But the agency argued that it is committed to making sure Mexican truck drivers obey all U.S. rules and regulations during the trial. The program would allow up to 100 Mexican carriers to send trucks into the United States.

Opponents – including the Teamsters union, other trucking and safety organizations and dozens of lawmakers – contend that Mexican drivers would pose a hazard on U.S. highways and would displace American truck drivers because they work for lower wages.

Currently, Mexican trucks can only travel within a 25-mile border zone in the United States. U.S. trucks are barred from entering Mexico.

The agency sought public comment last June, after making changes to the pilot program to comply with additional safeguards mandated by Congress in an emergency spending bill.

The agency responded to critics' worries that Mexican truck drivers, unlike their American counterparts, are not required to comply with rules limiting their driving time or mandating drug and alcohol testing, among other issues.

U.S. officials said that since 2000, Mexican truckers have been required to keep logbooks showing how long they have been on the road in case they are pulled over.

The drivers are limited to eight hours of driving during the day and seven hours at night, the government said. They also can accumulate up to three hours of overtime a day, three times a week.

The agency said it has “extensive experience” enforcing the hours-of-service rules for Mexican carriers who drive within the restricted border zone.

While Mexico does not require drug and alcohol tests, officials said the pilot program requires Mexican truckers certified to drive in the United States to undergo the testing.

“Because there presently are no U.S.-certified collection facilities and laboratories in Mexico, Mexico-domiciled long-haul carriers must comply by using collection facilities and certified laboratories in the United States, just as their border commercial zone counterparts have done for a decade,” the Federal Register report said.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a national trade association representing small trucking companies, criticized the administration for proceeding with its plans despite widespread opposition.

“They are determined to open our highways to Mexico-domiciled trucking companies and truck drivers regardless of the concerns that have been raised by Congress and the American people,” said Todd Spencer, the organization's executive vice president.

U.S. officials said they plan to implement the program as soon as they receive a required report from the Department of Transportation's inspector general and address any concerns raised in the report.

A spokeswoman for the inspector general declined to say when the report would be released.

[Fozzy]

Still not in a panic over this...

[BanditsCousin]

If you all can't take the time to email your senator/representative that it takes to post here you have no right to complain

I wrote emails to both senators of my state (located on my state website) and even went and made 2 phone calls.

[greg3564]

If you all can't take the time to email your senator/representative that it takes to post here you have no right to complain

I wrote emails to both senators of my state (located on my state website) and even went and made 2 phone calls.

I wrote them too. But when Ol Georgie has his mind made up, what's anyone to do?

[greg3564]

Still not in a panic over this...

I'm not in a panic. What bothers me the most is that the will of the people is ignored as usual.

On a side note. I think there will be a market for recovering abandoned Mexican trucks in the US. You know those guys will drive it as far into the US as possible and leave them in some truck stop. What a better way to get into the US than an air conditioned truck? Who needs to hop some fence or swim across some river?

[ben45750]

On a side note. I think there will be a market for recovering abandoned Mexican trucks in the US. You know those guys will drive it as far into the US as possible and leave them in some truck stop. What a better way to get into the US than an air conditioned truck? Who needs to hop some fence or swim across some river?

Great point! You know that will happen, they will have their kids stuffed in a fake fuel tank and the wife hidden up under the dash.

[Sheepdancer]

This is no big deal and it wont hurt the trucking industry one bit.
This is no different, in fact its on a way lesser scale that when we started letting canadian drivers do the same thing. Back then many were paranoid about that too.
These are only going to be very few mexican drivers bringing freight out of mexico ( not too many US drivers are doing that right now ) and freight back into mexico ( not too many US drivers are doing that either) so hardly anyone will be affected. Anyway most of that freight already goes by rail.
As far as the "danger" of mexican drivers that people are complaining about. From what Ive read about this, The mexican drivers and their trucks are going to all be inspected and more than likely held to a higher standard than our own trucks. The drivers will also have to abide by all the rules and regulations you do. I can guarantee they will be held to a higher standard with that too. No matter what you read on some of the foil hat wearing websites, you are not going to see meth addicted mexican drivers in rusted out trucks with no brakes. There are 1000s of mexican drivers already crossing the borders in their trucks and running short distances. I remember people saying that they would all be on drugs, causing accidents and driving unsafe trucks. Strange that i never read about any of them causing major accidents on the news.

[Fozzy]

Still not in a panic over this...

I'm not in a panic. What bothers me the most is that the will of the people is ignored as usual.

On a side note. I think there will be a market for recovering abandoned Mexican trucks in the US. You know those guys will drive it as far into the US as possible and leave them in some truck stop. What a better way to get into the US than an air conditioned truck? Who needs to hop some fence or swim across some river?

This is why people on that side of the issue just look silly to me. There is no indication that these driver will abandon anything up here. These people are going to abandon a job that they already have to become a fugitive with no license and no prospect of work? Yeah.. right... whatever...

[ben45750]

I don't think it will ever come to the Mexican drivers coming any farther than they already do. I think it will be the decision of the Mexican trucking company's.

Can you imagine what Jim Bob's Truck Repair from Rock Rapids, Iowa is going to charge to change a tire for a Mexican trucking company? We thought price gouging was bad on gas after 9/11? Wait till the Mexican trucking company's find out what Americans can charge for labor.

I do think the Canadian thing is different. American trucks can "safely" deliver and pick up freight in Canada. How safe is it for the same American trucks to deliver and pick up freight in Mexico? I sure don't want to drive a truck in Mexico. When you vacation in Mexico you only want to go into certain places and or not leave the property of the resort you are staying at. American's can go anywhere in Canada and feel as safe as they do in America (American's are probably safer in Canada than they are in the United States). Mexico is a third world country compared to Canada and the United states.

[greg3564]

Still not in a panic over this...

I'm not in a panic. What bothers me the most is that the will of the people is ignored as usual.

On a side note. I think there will be a market for recovering abandoned Mexican trucks in the US. You know those guys will drive it as far into the US as possible and leave them in some truck stop. What a better way to get into the US than an air conditioned truck? Who needs to hop some fence or swim across some river?

This is why people on that side of the issue just look silly to me. There is no indication that these driver will abandon anything up here. These people are going to abandon a job that they already have to become a fugitive with no license and no prospect of work? Yeah.. right... whatever...

Yeah, that's why there's 12 million illegal aliens in the country. Millions have come here and risked everything with no license and no prospect of work. These drivers can easily make a whole lot more money working in construction here than driving for the pennies per mile theey're going to make driving for Mexican truck companies.