granted :?

 

If you are going to protest at Jim's better make sure that the trucks are moving if the engine is running. Otherwise, you could get fined for idling. :wink:

 

Nah, nah, I'm not protesting, I'm trying to get one of you to do it on behalf of all of us. Skip that 'truckers are sissies', someone might take that the wrong way :lol: For the third poster on the back of the trailer put 'Everyday is Cinco de Mayo! So, you up for it Gman?

In all seriousness, I do expect this to have downward pressure on freight rates if it takes off. It's just more people competing for basically the same amount of freight. That's the only gripe, not uninsured truckers or faulty equipment or what have you. The general public will gripe about that plenty if we start hearing about accidents caused by Mexican trucks. Having said that, I'm still not entirely against it. It's sad to see such poverty just a stone's throw away from opulence (ever looked at a high school parking lot recently?). It looks as though it could equal things out a little between Mexican workers and American workers. I think it could definitely cost American workers but that's what happens when countries shift toward something called their 'comparative advantage' (that's just when a country stops doing a little of everything and focuses on the things it does better than other countries). I can also understand why a lot of people don't want to pay that price.

Still, I want to know, is anyone in this besides the actual organizers!? OOIDA? Anybody?

BTW, I got a load out of Buffalo after two days and I'll be in Norfolk on Monday.

 

Cam, I think I will pass on the run in the Socialist Republic of New York. If you think that a lot of Mexican workers in this country are working for peanuts, you may want to check around. I know a few companies who have Hispanic workers and are making a very good living. I think some of the problem is that some American companies are tired of dealing with so many American workers who only want to whine and collect a paycheck without giving a good effort. I have had several companies who have told me almost the exact same thing.

I have concerns about these Mexican carriers. I have been along the border and seen how some of them keep up their trucks. It can be down right scary to think of them being on our roads. According to a recent article I read, some of these Mexican carriers still haven't gone through the proper audits to see if they comply with American rules and regulations. I would expect to see many of them come into this country for below minimum wages acceptable for U.S. workers. I also expect this to be short lived. I think that once these Mexican drivers see what their U.S. counterparts make, they will want the same wages. I believe that is the primary concern the Mexican Trucking Association (I don't believe this is the correct name) has concerning their member carriers coming into this market. If they find out what Americans make they are going to demand the same wages in Mexico. Mexican carriers may not be able to afford to pay equivalent wages to them. The result may be an exodus to the U.S. carriers for higher wages.

 

Whats funny about this is,...... I am not 100% opposed to having the Mexican trucks here, for these reasons:
1.Can they pass a DOT inspection (will DOT go for the easy kill and stop these trucks?)
2.Can the Mexican drivers understand English well enough to navigate throughout our highways.(let alone getting pulled over at a weigh station)
3.Will they want to come here and drive for less than $1.00 a mile,...if they do, they won't last any longer than your average driver.
Maybe we should let it happen without a fuss, so they can fail and move on with life.

Now, on the other hand, I can see the potential problems as well. The one thing that gets me is that this decision was made long ago,...in some deal made to get another deal, by some person who stood to make a lot of money.
This happens so often,....it goes by as a moot point.
If I thought it would make a difference, I would be there, if I thought it would stop this, I would be there.
Problem is,.......it can't be stopped, and the only thing a huge protest will do is attract attention to the few who do show up.
We as Americans can't even be united long enough on one cause to do jack about anything.
Its a shame, but I care, you care,....but most don't because its not banging on their front door.
Someday ,..when everything is right,...maybe it will be possible to effect change on a grassroots level,...until then,...it everyone for themselves.

 

if mexican truck drivers get treated as they do here in the south al/ tn they will not be held accountable for any violation. here in north al.. police have stopped hispanics driving cars, with no license, no ins, ficticious tags & ficticious id's. the police told me that if they are illeagle they have to let them go without fine or ticket. this happened to me when a mexican native landed his car on a porch of my home. they let him go. depite expired & wrong tags on car, plus all other violations.

 

Well,......I'm listening to Washington DC traffic on XM radio....not even a peep.

Dave Nemo has been trying to talk up the rally on XM 171. You've got to feel for the guy, I think he must be holding a gun against his head or something. Occasional crackpot call, a little country music, about it. Ah well,....

 

Bush sr. was the one that pushed it through, not Clinton. Clinton had next to nothing to do with it AFAIK. Bush jr is just complying to agreements in NAFTA(something that the US seems to be lacking, but slowly picking up the pace).

 

You guys havent even thought that many spanish speaking US citizens, like me, will benifit financially from this agreement. Before I had to drop the load in Laredo or Jaurez, now I can just proceed to deliver the load myself.
Hmm I wonder how many Mexicn truckers who are not as well versed in english though, can really deliver a load to say the more rural areas of america as I can speaking both spanish and english...............we will see I quess?
If the Mexican driver can actually do this, the worth of a driver their wil increase unbelievably, when I was a college kid a mexican attorney=a mexican truck driver, which I found to be funny knowing the situation in the USA. I dont know if its still the same, but Mexico had no type of regulations then who was an attorney, you just got permission from the local government (usually a bribe) to hang a sign on your door, 'attorney at law." If this agreement does become the case, I just see in a latino family, which do you want to be a doctor or a truck driver....a truck driver of course so I can make more $.