Mexican Trucks

[Dr. Shane]

Plan to allow Mexican trucks into U.S. draws protests

The U.S. Transportation Department granted permission Thursday to Transportes Olympic, based in a suburb of Monterrey, Mexico, to haul cargo anywhere in the United States as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico granted authority to Stagecoach Cartage & Distribution Inc. of El Paso to travel anywhere in Mexico.

While the two companies may cross the border immediately, they might wait a few days while they determine new routes, said John Hill, who runs the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates truck safety.

"What we're hearing from the carriers is they could be ready to go as soon as days from now," Hill told reporters on a conference call from Washington.

Dozens of truckers protested at border crossings in Texas and California on Thursday, denouncing as dangerous and unfair the program that will allow up to 100 Mexican trucking companies to haul throughout the U.S.

Carrying signs reading "NAFTA Kills" and "Unsafe Mexican Trucks," a few dozen protesters circled in the heat for two hours at Laredo's port of entry at the World Trade Bridge on the U.S.-Mexico border.

[Neil D]

I wasn't crazy about Nafta...and I feared then, when it was implimented, and my fears are going to be justified. I fear that the mexican trucks will not be in good working order, with faulty breaks, poor/non-existant mirrors, poor non-english speaking drivers, I just see an Mexican truck vs American car crash and the mexican without any recourse .....and the americans in the hospital...

Not a good scenerio...

I forsee a bad accident awaiting to happen...

[Dr. Shane]

Not saying it is... but sounds like a pretty racist argument there. We have had Mexican trucks crossing the border for years without any major disasters happening. Mexicans have been able to deliver goods to the border region but not allowed past the check points located about one hour north of the border.

Mexican trucks have to pass a Department of Transportation inspection just like all trucks. They have to stop at weigh stations for inspections. And Mexico itself isn't a country without laws. Mexico has laws they enforce on their trucking industry.

As far as language goes, well... truck drivers in Europe drive across national boarders all the time, from one language to another. That is just part of international trade.

What this does is help Mexican firms to ship their products in the US without having to drop trailers off at the border and pay a US firm to pick them up and deliver them. It helps the US consumer, who will benefit from lower prices on Mexican goods, and Mexican industry which provides jobs for Mexicans.

One great solution to keep Mexicans in Mexico is to allow their economy to grow and prosper so they can find jobs at home and not have to come to the US illegally. Furthermore, it helps Mexico compete with China in the manufactured goods market. China obviously has to pay US trucking firms to deliver their goods.