Truckers protest trial plan to permit Mexican trucks in U.S.

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

9:54 a.m. September 6, 2007

SAN DIEGO – Dozens of truckers waved signs and American flags at a border crossing Thursday to protest a pilot program that will allow up to 100 Mexican trucking companies to freely haul their cargo anywhere in the United States.
The U.S. Transportation Department planned to begin issuing operating permits as early as Thursday.

The department's inspector general still must give his final blessing, the department must respond to his findings, and the Mexican government must begin issuing permits to U.S. trucking companies to go anywhere in Mexico, said Melissa Mazzella DeLaney, a spokeswoman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates truck safety.

To date, 38 Mexican firms are poised for U.S. permits, she said. The government plans to issue 17 permits initially.

The Teamsters union, the Sierra Club and the nonprofit Public Citizen have sought to halt the program in court – so far, unsuccessfully. They argue there won't be enough oversight of drivers coming into the U.S. from Mexico and that public safety will be jeopardized.



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20070906-0954-ca-mexicantrucks.html

[eagler]

1. From listening to American truckers' comments - no doubt

this will become ugly soon.

[Acadia Blue]

6. Its American workers versus big corporatists who want to pay

Mexicans 1t cents a mile and dump American Workers. There will be Mexican giant diesels parked everywhre at night running and running and we can stop sleeping so the corporate pigs can have more money while Americans are unemployed and Mexicans are exploited. We should ALL be protesting this. Not only as a worker but these idiots are opening a giant security risk and drug risk and I think they want it that way. They are probably making money on the people and drug trade. I mean the Bush buddies.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. will it make the price of weed go down?

there's got to be a silver lining somewhere? :shrug:

[DainBramaged]

36. Back to my youth when Panama Red was $400 a pound?

No, sorry.

ONLY TEAMSTERS KNOW HOW TO DELIVER THE GOODS!!!

[eagler]

11. the richest person in the world now is Mexican - that says volumes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6267714.stm

[maddezmom]

13. according to the article he is Lebanese

Mr Slim, whose business interests are based in Mexico City, is the 67-year-old son of Lebanese immigrants.

He started his business life in property before moving on to invest in a stock brokerage, a bottling company, and, more recently, the telephone sector.

Mr Slim also owns the Inbursa financial group and the Grupo Carso industrial conglomerate, whose interests range from retail stores to restaurants.

During the Latin American economic crisis of the early 1980s, Mr Slim made a name for himself - and substantial profits - by buying a number of struggling companies at very low prices before transforming their fortunes.

[eagler]

15. son of Lebanese Immigrants

[Acadia Blue]

8. We should be protesting with the unions. We are next.

[Toots]

28. Teamsters have voted Republican lately and in Houston, their new Union Hall

was built with Scab Labor. They said Union Labor was too expensive. Is that who you wish to side with? If they had any balls they would have acted to stop Bush* and his Iraq occupation. Just think how quickly government would act if the truckers stopped trucking......The entire country would shut down...but they haven't and they won't..yet they want everyone to get all upset because a Mexican wants to make a living for their family.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. This is just another policy designed to make blue collar Americans

accept slave wages with no benefits or safety regulations. As sure as the Earth revolves around the Sun, this plan will result in the drastic reduction in wages paid to fleet drivers and owner-operators.

[redqueen]

7. And since most of our top tier candidates are free-traders

I don't expect anything will be done about it.

Maybe some nice-sounding rhetoric. That's about it.

[rodeodance]

3. good. loss of union jobs is the major OUTCOME>

[Mrspeeker]

4. Dozens? So whats that like 24 truckers?

unless its a bakers dozen of course

[lapfog_1]

12. up to 100 trucking FIRMS

each would have between 20 to 200 trucks.

17 Mexican companies are poised to receive permits right now. 34 total companies have applied.

That's hundreds of trucks right now. Thousands later.

And if you think that the Mexican trucks will be maintained to the standards set for the US trucking industry, I have a bridge to sell you (ok, US bridges are probably bargains right now).

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Are American trucks maintained to the standards set for the US trucking industry?

:shrug:

[lapfog_1]

26. Yes, they are... at least over the road interstate trucks

are. I know, I own one. And it costs a fortune to do... but it costs more if they catch you avoiding the inspection stations... and almost anything can get you "red tagged"... which means your truck stays right there at the inspection station until you pay someone to fix whatever is wrong.

I've been "red tagged" for not having the winter chains properly stowed under my reefer (wrong size tie down chain).

So yeah, by and large the trucks are pretty safe... the truck drivers on the other hand... too many are under a lot of pressure to drive more than is allowed by DOT regulations and to meet delivery dates... and they do drugs to stay awake (even with mandatory urine testing its still a problem).

The Mexican drivers have the same issues only more so (pressure to drive further and longer) PLUS their trucks are crap.

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. So, under this new program, Mexican trucks will be able to bypass the inspection stations?

:shrug:

[DainBramaged]

35. yOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU?

You must not be from around these parts (click click) are ya son?

ONLY TEAMSTERS KNOW HOW TO DELIVER THE GOODS!!!

[irish.lambchop]

5. Have heard many comments via radio call-in shows from

truckers and non-truckers saying the same thing - to summarize: it's the duty of every American citizen to call in every time they see a truck with Mexican licence plates so the police can ensure that their manifests are in order, etc. This will most definitely get ugly. Can you imagine the first time a trucker from Mexico is involved in a highway accident!

[Acadia Blue]

10. I lived there and their accidents involve 50 of more deaths often.

They take speed to stay awake and drive like insane people. The traffic laws are different than here.

[High Plains]

31. Ah, nice, harassing hard-working truck drivers.

I'm sure the cops have nothing better to do then respons every time some nativist yokel sees a foreign license plate.

[tesla78]

14. Open Borders : North American Union

They will soon replace the American dollar with the 'Amero' while "harmonizing" Canada, Mexico, and U.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T74VA3xU0EA

[High Plains]

32. Ooh, scary! It's been such a disaster for Euope.

European Union, I mean.

[DainBramaged]

37. And they will replace my brain with a penis.

:woohoo: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :woohoo:

[vssmith]

16. What about American stevedores?

Will stuff from China now be off-loaded in Mexican ports instead of American ports? If this is the case there will be more American jobs at jeopardy.

[Omaha Steve]

17. Teamsters continue battle against truck initiative

Source: COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

By Paul M. Krawzak
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – The Teamsters union and other groups opposed to opening the border to long-haul Mexican trucks continued to battle the initiative Thursday morning as U.S. transportation officials awaited an assessment expected to give them the go-ahead to start a one-year pilot program.

Dozens of truckers protested the initiative, which could begin as early as Thursday afternoon, during Teamster rallies at the Otay Mesa border crossing and in Laredo, Texas.


EDUARDO CONTRERAS / Union-Tribune
Teamsters picket outside the Otay Mesa Scales and Inspection Facility along Enrico Fermi Drive on Thursday morning.


Opening the U.S.-Mexico border to long-haul trucks from both countries is one of the provisions of the NAFTA treaty.

In Otay Mesa, scores of Teamsters picketed outside the CHP truck inspection facility at the border Thursday morning.

Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20070906-1228-bn06trucks2.html

[Doremus]

18. You go, Teamsters!

K and R

:kick:

[ms liberty]

19. K&R n/t

[AzDar]

20. Where, oh where is Congress on this???

:grr:

[Upfront]

21. What would Jimmy Hoffa do?

Just wondering.

[senseandsensibility]

22. kand r

:kick:

[DainBramaged]

23. I am not a Teamster but I understand how serious this is

I'd be right there next to them if I lived even within a hundred miles of the crossing. And this has NOTHING to do with racial bias. It has EVERYTHING to do with un-tested drivers, un-trained drivers, un-regulated trucks, and on and on, PLUS their trucks don't meet our pollution standards.

ONLY TEAMSTERS KNOW HOW TO DELIVER THE GOODS!!!!

[High Plains]

33. Why do you think these trucks will be uninspected and not...

...subject to US regulations? That is not the case.

[DainBramaged]

34. Who is in charge of making them certified to our highway standards?

no one

ONLY TEAMSTERS KNOW HOW TO DELIVER THE GOODS!!!

[lonestarnot]

24. Kick ass my union brothers and sisters! Kick ass!

[OhioChick]

30. Go Teamsters!

I wonder why our "elected officials" are so quiet on this issue, given the fact that most Americans are against this.

[DainBramaged]

27. Only Teamsters know how to deliver he goods!

[bbgrunt]

38. it's time for some serious union action.

[DainBramaged]

39. It's time for another bump

:bounce: