Mexican Trucks

[Laredo Trucker]

I read an article the other day about certain Mexican trucks being allowed to enter the US past the commercial zone. The article talked about how Transportes Olympic has been granted authority and even interviewed the
owner, Fernando Paez.

Transportes Olympic has been operating in the US for years beyond the commercial zone. Mr Paez has has had his authority for years, MC 267592, US DOT 535886. Mr Paez is probably also a US citizen or resident and that his how he got his authority for his trucks to operate in the US with Mexican drivers. Most of his trucks hang out in Laredo on Mines Road at the Exxon Station at Killam Blvd.

He and many other companies have been able to operate freely with Mexican drivers because Border Patrol does not wish to enforce immigration laws at the checkpoint leading out of Laredo. A Mexican driver with a visa must enter the US with the load and deliver it to the destination. Many times the drivers are picking up loads in Laredo that are already in the US and taking them north to another point in the US which is in violation of their immigration status. Their visas should be cancelled and the drivers should be sent back to Mexico but Border Patrol does not wish to enforce this. These guys are taking loads away from the American trucker.

I asked FMCSA inspector about this and he said they can't do anything about it because only immigration laws are being violated, not his job. I also asked about cabotage with the Mexican trucks and he said that there is really no way to enforce it.

We have a lot to look forward to with these trucks coming over here.

I have a feeling most of you really don't know the law that was passed so here it is in a nutshell.

These Mexican trucking companies are allowed to carry a load into the U.S.. Once they deliver they are ONLY allowed to accept another load that is destined for Mexico. They are NOT allowed to haul any other loads to any other point in the U.S..

[Laredo Trucker]

Exactly, but the question is, who is going to enforce this law?

A Mexican trucker taking a load from point A to point B within the US is violating cabotage laws and immigration laws but it doesn't look like anyone is around to enforce these laws.

To me it looks like they are going to be able to do whatever the hell they want.

[brian]

blah blah blah, this countries going to hell in a hand basket anyways.


but seriously, the mexican truckers can`t do a whole lot in our country freight wise, and if you think theres no enforcement out there your crazy,

[bulldog2036]

How many threads do we need on this subject?

How many threads do we need on this subject?

No kidding. It's like me and the guys back in the 70's. We talked about women once but everyone keeps bringing the same subject up, over and over again!!

[PackRatTDI]

Exactly, but the question is, who is going to enforce this law?

A Mexican trucker taking a load from point A to point B within the US is violating cabotage laws and immigration laws but it doesn't look like anyone is around to enforce these laws.

To me it looks like they are going to be able to do whatever the hell they want.

I would hazard to guess that enforcing cabotage laws don't fall under the jurisdiction of the FMCSA anyways since cabotage isn't a safety issue so asking him about it wouldn't net the right answers. The Border Patrol wouldn't be responsible either, it would probably be US Customs. Customs and Immigration were combined under the Department of Homeland Security but they work together in name only. Customs doesn't care to do immigration work and the Border Patrol could care less about customs work.

My ex-father in law is an immigration officer and he has all sorts of stories about when Customs/Immigration butt heads on issues.

[GhostCaptain]

This is going to be a long post because this is a long story, I hope after you read it
you will have better understanding of what is going on with the Mexican Carriers coming
into the USA, back in the 60`s the United States and Mexico reached an agreement
that Mexico will allow American Corporations to establish assembly lines in Mexico,
called Maquiladoras, that was 40 years ago and 1000`s of American job where lost
to the cheap hand labor of Mexico who to blame? your clean cut all American CEO`s
as the years went by 1000`s of this Maquiladoras established along the border from
Brownsville,TX to San Diego,CA this the way they operate the big Companies temporary
export the components to their mexican plants to be assembled then return them to the USA
as assembled devices, here is where the Transportation Industry comes into the play,
all those components are shipped to the border via truck, at the border a Mexican Truck picks
the load in the american side and takes it to the assembly plant in Mexico, this operation
generates a lot of more expenses for this Corporatios,unloading from the American Truck
into a warehouse,loading the Mexican truck and then unload it again at Mexico assembly plant
all this expenses are paid by the American Companies by allowing the Mexican trucks to deliver the
assembled devices and bring back the componets to be assembled this Companies are realising
close of, if not 50% savings in their freights costs according to statistics there are over 20 000 USA destination
loads originated every day along the Mexico-USA border every day, don not blame the Mexicans it is your own All American Fellows the ones pushing for this to happen

[geomon]

ALthough punctuation might have helped my from going cross-eyed reading Ghost's post....I agree with him.

If you are a CEO of a manufacturing company in say...Wisconsin. You can now close down the union manufacturing side of your company, relocate it to just over the border from Laredo (ie become a Maquiladoras) and manufacture your product of MUCH less than paying all those US union wages.

Now...you (Mr CEO) can truck the goods you manufacture via Mexican truckers (or your won if you buy them in Mexico) to distribution points all over the US at a fraction of what you would pay for a US trucking company to do it. You can then redirect your trucks to bring the raw goods back to Mexico via pick-up points all over the US (LTL).

So who loses and who gains? Top management and investers win...profits increase. Who loses? The union factory workers and any US truckers who would have delivered those products.

[jonboy]

Looks like they are going to lose their funding to do the cross border trucking.


http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...ks_funding.htm

[pepe4158]

Well Bush seems to be the one pushing for this...n being a lame duck prez I think his side is losing momentum....interesting where Juliarty ot McCain will be on this....cuz my quess is Hillay is for it since the Bush's n Clintons have been conspiring to form the North American alliance for 20 years or so now.
Funny tho...Bush doesnt seem to realize hes a lame duck...heard him talking tough the other day that its part of the trade agreement to allow Mex trucks in.

[bulldog2036]

Ever heard of NAFTA....been in the works many years so as much as I dislike Bush it isn't his deal, he has to abide by it.

[countryhorseman]

Well Bush seems to be the one pushing for this...n being a lame duck prez I think his side is losing momentum....interesting where Juliarty ot McCain will be on this....cuz my quess is Hillay is for it since the Bush's n Clintons have been conspiring to form the North American alliance for 20 years or so now.
Funny tho...Bush doesnt seem to realize hes a lame duck...heard him talking tough the other day that its part of the trade agreement to allow Mex trucks in.

Trust me, I am no Clinton fan, but she actually voted for the amendment to stop the cross border program. Suprised me, I was like you, and thought she was all for it. Ya never know with politicians.

[countryhorseman]

Ever heard of NAFTA....been in the works many years so as much as I dislike Bush it isn't his deal, he has to abide by it.

I believe NAFTA actually started forming before the first Bush was in the Whitehouse, I believe that was Reagan. Kinda muddled along with the Senior Bush, which signed the initial draft, then Clinton in his first term signed what is now in effect.

The thing is, our Congress and Senate could go in a amend the treaty, I am sure Canada would be a more than willing partner, to adjust for the current threats which face this nation. When NAFTA was orginally drafted, the world was not as dangerous as it is now. We knew who our enemies were, and basically had a stalemate (i.e. Cold War). Now, with all these imerging 3rd World countries gaining Nuclear technology from Russia and North Korea, we have no idea who the real enemies are. NAFTA need to be updated to reflect the current world affairs. The document was outdated before it was ever signed.

My two cents worth!

[bulldog2036]

Thanks countryhorseman......I'm sure Congress could make changes but are they?....I don't think so.

[countryhorseman]

Thanks countryhorseman......I'm sure Congress could make changes but are they?....I don't think so.

You know, if they keep getting bombarded with calls from concerned truck drivers and citizens, about the issues that concern us all, much in the same way as the switchboard was flooded last week on the Cross Border Issue, then yes, the will do something!

But if the status quo follows suit, and they do not hear what is concerning us, then, well, they have no reason to do anything. They are listening now, the vote passed. Now we just have to keep up the pressure, while the momentum is there and we may make a difference.

Call your elected officials and tell them what is concerning you, and what you would like to see done about it. OH, and Join OOIDA, they are there to be the voice of the American Truck Driver. Do not believe it, read the press release I posted on the HOS, somebody is listening there, now also.

Thanks, Have a Nice Day.