Oh, stop it! Don't cloud this thread with truth...

We all know that image was clearly edited in Photoshop. It's just duct tape and white paint.

Of course, I'm sure someone will comment that "Yeah, sure the trucks look nice, but their parking lot is dirt!"...

 

You know its kind of interesting reading about TMM. I found lots of information about them on the web. Just spent some time reading transcripts of conference calls of the big wigs of TMM. They were talking about attracting quality drivers for their runs into the US. Saying that although their trucks already meet DOT regulations, they will need to go above and beyond that. Another interesting thing I read was that they were only looking for drivers who speak english. I didnt think about that, but arent their DOT regulations about having to speak and understand English? If that is true, then every driver coming over here from Mexico would have to know english.
I also ran accross a page showing how they were implimenting stock options and profit sharing for their drivers. I guess that pretty much kills the myth that drivers are going to abandon their trucks and become illegals. Why would someone leave a good job like that in Mexico for a low paying job in this country with no benefits. I think Im going to get one of my spanish speaking friends to call TMM and see what they pay plus benefits....Should add an interesting perspective to this debate.

 

People get the wrong idea about Mexican trucks by what they see on the border. Shuttling trailers across the border and back is time consuming due to the long waits. It's a waste of money to put a brand new 2007 truck doing that kind of work. So the trucks that get put on that duty are 2nd and 3rd hand old beat up trucks. They never go more than 30 miles or so in either direction. We seldom see the newer equipment like in that picture because they're busy hauling cargo south of the border.

That's nothing new here, look at the local trucks used in NYC, Chicago or LA. They're usually just as beat up. Hell, I remember Roadway used those old Ford cabovers for years as their local trucks.

Here's another point to ponder. The failure rate of the inspected Mexican trucks was only slightly higher than the US/Canadian average. And that was inspecting those POS border jumper trucks.

 

Hmmm.......what do you consider "FAR MORE" than 15 cpm?

 

I just though of something.....Since this new program also allows our drivers to go over to mexico more, there are probably Mexican drivers reading this board and seeing all the "Help I failed a drug test:", Help I have 5 accidents and need a job" and the "Who will hire drivers with Felonies?" posts and complaining to their government that they dont want our drivers in thier country.

 

But JBH does own a Mexican trucking firm.

In 1990, after having already acquired the requisite authority to haul freight in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia two years earlier, Hunt joined forces with the Mexican trucking firm Fletes Sotelo to form Hunt de Mexico.

 

No, you would be wrong. "Hunt de mexico" was a partnership with a mexican container company Transportacion Maritima Mexican. It wasnt a trucking company owned by JB hunt. We still have a partnership with TMM. However drivers dont haul that freight. Its the RAILS. Having a partnership does not mean owning a company. Its two different companies working together to meet the same goals.

 

Given that I could go out and get a job just about anywhere for 40 cpm plus right now, let's just leave it at that. I'm sure that we can both agree that even if it is still 40 cpm that would be "far more" than 15, correct???

You didn't personally get under my skin at all. If you fall into the category of the largely uneducated public who loves to spread their "sky is falling" crap here and on the airwaves, then you may very well be partly to blame. Sorry, but ignorance is one of my biggest pet peeves...

 

Well I consider myself well educated and know a little about this program. I don't like when people immeadiately label myself or others as conspiracy nuts. I'm far from that.

My main concern has nothing to do with safety and quality of trucks. My concern is that American jobs are taken. With as many jobs that have been lost to overseas companies, why are we ok with trucking jobs being lost to foreign workers?

There is no driver shortage. That is a myth that is perpetuated by the trucking industry and the legislative lobbiest at the ATA. The big trucking companies have been salivating over the day when this would happen. They have all invested heavily in Mexican companies to do their cheap labor that American drivers won't, and should not, do.

Some here have accused OOIDA of padding their pockets. Maybe so. But for better or worse, the OOIDA is the ONLY organization with any clout to defend the OTR driver. The Teamsters are what they are, but at least they to are trying to help.

So what's next here folks? Mexican airline pilots? Hell, if they have the same training and can do it for less, why not? Because the airlines pay their pilots fairly and there's no "shortage."

This does nothing to help the wages of truck drivers. Along with the constant flow of new drivers and a turnover of 120%, the flow of Mexican drivers will make it very hard to try and raise salaries and benefits.

The point is we shouldn't be in the business of giving away American jobs to save a company money. In the long run it is detrimental to our job force and it will drive wages down.

 

No, Sheepie, you misunderstand the point. We are P.O'd because THEY will do all these things for LESS money than US!! Then WE will have to take a cut in pay to keep a job! :roll: :wink:

And if many U.S. drivers are running over hours and driving unsafe trucks? You might have to look to the COMPANIES and their dispatchers/fleet managers for the causation.

Let me ask you a question. As a large company, JB must get MUCH of their freight through contracts with companies who need things shipped, right? What happens AFTER the trial program, when many MORE Mexican companies are allowed to compete for U.S. freight, and are willing to "haul cheap freight?" How many contracts can JB afford to LOSE??

Now don't start with the argument that they are only hauling cross border, linehaul (I think that might be the word) freight to and from Mexico and not Cabotage. We ALL know it will end up there, as it is part of the North American Union goals.

But, even IF it is only cross border freight..... how many jobs will be lost by truckers who currently carry freight TO the border or FROM the border? If you're a company shipping say..... wall safes (for stashing illegal bribes in) to Mexico from St. Louis, will you hire JB Hunt for the contract at 40 cpm (to the drivers)?? Or a Mexican company that can come and get it and take it back for 20 cpm??

Yes, there are drivers in America who run illegal, on bennies (still) and don't maintain their equipment well. But, there are ALSO alot of us who ARE concerned about safe highways.... for ourselves, AND our families! And there are people with higher pay grades than ANY of us, who are equally concerned! I admit there is a certain amount of "hysteria" about it all..... but I don't believe that means that reasonable people can't ALSO have valid concerns!

Your lack of concern, to date (as YOU also have a family to protect,) seems to me to smack of the profiteering motivation of those company CEO's and shareholders who are getting rich off the exploitation of illegal immigrants picking the produce or processing chicken, at the expense of American jobs with fair pay and benefits, which can only increase your bottom line and dividends.

You sit there and pontificate on how WELL the economy is doing (for YOU,) while being "presented" an ever increasing number of applicants who are turning to trucking because their jobs have been outsourced to other third world countries for exactly the same reasons. And you have the nerve to belittle us and our own personal economic concerns??

I am impressed with the facts you present about TMM. I will look more closely into it myself. I have not yet actually jumped on the bandwagon that says ALL Mexican trucks are POS's or that their drivers are drunks, smugglers and outlaws. But, I've been south of the border enough, myself, to know that these concerns are not "jibberish!"

And, like all my fellow drivers out here, and unlike YOU..... at least I knew that the law requires all CMV drivers in the U.S. to speak enough English to converse with a DOT officer and shippers and receivers, AND be able to READ the traffic signs that are mostly in ENGLISH. This is an EXTREMELY important "safety" issue.... and it bothers me that YOU were not even aware of it.