House overwhelmingly votes to put restrictions on Mexican trucks on U.S. highways

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to delay a Bush administration plan to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways.

The trucks would have to be declared safe first, the lawmakers said, and Mexico would have to give U.S. truckers the same access south of the border.

The House voted 411-3 to approve a three-year Department of Transportation pilot program that would restrict opening the border to 100 carriers based in Mexico. They would be allowed to use a maximum of 1,000 vehicles under the pilot program.

The Bush administration wanted to start a pilot program this year that would run for a year before fully opening the border to Mexican trucks.



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20070515-1348-mexicantrucks.html

[wakeme2008]

1. Kick and nom Big Time nt :)

[NMDemDist2]

2. good! n/t

[kurth]

3. Kill it dead

Stupid idea.

[stevedeshazer]

5. You're for Mexican truckers driving in the US without restrictions?

Why?

I am a U.S. truck driver. I have to jump through all the hoops; log books, weigh stations, time restrictions, hazardous materials training, safety inspections....

Please, explain. :)

on edit: My sarcasm gene is defective, perhaps I didn't understand your post.

[kurth]

14. I mean kill the stupid idea of letting Mexican truckers in

AT ALL.

It's freakin' moronic.

[stevedeshazer]

21. Thanks, sorry for the reactive post

It appears we are in agreement with all but three House members, and that's great.

[driver8]

4. I cannot believe it.

You mean Congress did something for the working people of this country??

It must be Christmas...

[mile18blister]

6. Good for Congress, but do we trust DOT?

Supposedly Mexican trucks are already violating the 20 mile border.

One American job lost, especially union, is one too many.

Edit to add: Unsafe, uninsured, polluting trucks driven by exhausted drivers who may not be able to read English don't thrill me, regardless of country of origin.

[4dsc]

7. And who would want to truck in mexico

I don't know too many American truck drivers that would want the opportunity to drive in Mexico..

We must close down this NAFTA highway!!

[LiberalFighter]

9. Good point

It doesn't give equal access if American truck drives have no desire to make deliveries to Mexico.

I bet deliveries to Canada are safer.

[pampango]

11. Equal access is meaningless without equal desire to acess?

So don't give the poorer guy access to the richer guy's market unless the richer guy not only has access to the poorer guy's market, but also has an adequate incentive to actually want to access the poorer guy's market?

That big wall to keep out those poor pesky Mexican truck drivers, not to mention the immigrants who end up undercutting the wages of other workers who aren't truck drivers, is starting to sound better and better. :banghead: Not!

[gravity]

18. Americans still export goods to Mexico

The trade isn't perfectly balance, we export $2 worth of goods for every $3 we import from Mexico, but it's far from being completely one sided.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. This is a good thing

[Omaha Steve]

10. How did Lee Terry of Ne vote?

Was he one of the three?

[ornotna]

12. Nope

You can see the results here.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll349.xml

[Demeter]

13. On to the Senate

Let's see them pass it veto-proof.

[Sadie5]

15. I have seen Mexican trucks here

Where I live there is a big rail train yard and a few weeks ago I was behind a left turning truck, going into the rail yard with no english lettered on the trailer. I couldn't see the tractor part and this is in Indiana. My thoughts at the time was:HMmm! I knew this law had not been passed so what was the truck doing here.

[silverojo]

16. K&R

I can't add anything to what's already been posted. :)

[Purveyor]

17. How predictable the question of 'Mexican Trucks in the US' didn't make the cut in tonights debate...

Naw...we can't discuss 'kitchen table' issues.

[robcon]

19. THIS IS PATENTLY UNFAIR

Canadian trucks are allowed on U.S. highways without any special restrictions. So should Mexican trucks. This is an treaty violation (of NAFTA) that has no right to exist in a world where laws and treaties are respected.

[Rose Siding]

20. Canadian truckers are unionized and well regulated

The truckers from Mexico would virtually play the role of scabs -not to mention the public safety issues.

Trade deals should be written to include workers' rights and industry standards.

[wuushew]

22. How about shipping via railroad instead?

This 2005 report does not shed a good light on Mexican truck emissions



Mexican Truck Fleet Profile/Emissions Standards
• 66% of the Mexican truck fleet is 1993 model year and older (1993 was
when the diesel engine fleet was close to 100% electronic conversion,
which means that engines built in 1993 and later typically use electronic
fuel injection and computer controls to reduce emissions, improve
performance and fuel economy).

• 25% of the Mexican truck fleet is pre 1980 model year (these engines emit
very high levels of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM)
emissions on average.

• Mexican diesel engine emission standards were aligned with the USEPA
standards for the 1994 to 2003 model years (see Attachment A). Mexico
has not revised its emission standards to reflect recent U.S. standards
which require a 50% reduction in NOx for 2004-2007 engines and a 90%
reduction in NOx and PM for 2007 and subsequent model year engines.
The 2007 engine standards also require the use of ultra low sulfur diesel
fuel (15 parts per million (ppm) sulfur), which is not yet required in Mexico.



http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/hdvip/bip/naftamextrk.pdf