Some truckers oppose letting Mexican trucks on U.S. roads

32. Has Homeland Security signed off on the Pilot Program?

33. Will the drivers be checked against the terror watch list or will our borders be open to anyone with a Mexican driver’s license?

34. Will the drivers be required to carry a Mexican passport, as U.S. citizens are required to present their passports when entering the country from Mexico or Canada?

35. The integrity of drug and alcohol testing done in U.S. labs is based on a random system and drivers must be able to show up for the appointment using there own mode of transportation. How will the Mexican driver show up, suggesting the importance of pass ports and long distance for travel is an issue?

36. Who will oversee the collection of random samples?

37. Will he samples be collected in Mexico and sent to American labs or dos the Mexican driver show up in person?

38. The application of U.S. standards to Mexican drivers including the requirement that U.S. drivers have a Commercial Drivers License, undergo regular physicals and meet minimum age requirements in existence in the U. S. and what program exists for Mexican Drivers?

39. How many dual citizenship drivers are there?

Enforcement of U.S. wage and hour laws as Mexican drivers would operate under NAFTA may not be governable but lower driver wages to haul U. S. goods to Mexico and no tariffs when U. S. trucking companies are allocating 68% of there revenue for U. S. drivers wages and the loss of loads for U. S. companies with a promise that two months or so later, U. S. trucking companies can enter Mexico, when our own State Department warns Americans that travailing to the interior of Mexico is risky, not to mention a rather rough highway infrastructure, in no way can be seen as goof for the U. S. economy.

What’s worse is it is being done when were at war, with 140,000 Americans performing there duties in order to stay alive, unable to voice there opinions to there elected officials on a monumental proposal and of signicfant importance before the 110th Congress has approved real Boar legalization securing our international border.

DOT's assertion that all trucks will be inspected by U.S. officials in Mexico and at the U.S. border when less than ten percent of all Mexican trucks entering the commercial zone are inspected now is false truth?

The DOT has been disingenuous about this pilot program, indicating only a few weeks ago that it was not pursuing this pilot program.

There should always be a debate process other wise why have a Senate or Congress?

Enforcement of hours of service in Mexico, dual/false log books and fatigued drivers entering the U.S. is of concern.

DOT's assertion that all trucks will be inspected by U.S. officials in Mexico and at the U.S. border when less than ten percent of all Mexican trucks entering the commercial zone are inspected now is false truth.

This fight is worth fighting and if it comes to pass and the administration pushes until they get there way it will because we didn't fight a good fight, relying on others to include our elected rep's to fight for us.

In 2001 Teamsters went to the border and protested. Back then it was major news. Now its less important then Ana Smith.

Well I got a news flash, when I was in Mexico a made friends with many Mexicans who own their own trucks and many dual citizens cross the border into and out of Mexico on a daily bases exceeding the 25-mile zone.

Owner operators I spoke to don't want to go to America and quite frankly, large Mexican trucking companies in Mexico will go out of there way to haul there international customers products and spare parts from America to American companies doing business in Mexico and in the process make money. Companies in Mexico will reap the benifit of cheap mile rates for hauling cargo.

​

 

Washington DC - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee (Chairman Murray, D-Wash.) of Senate Appropriations Committee
will hold an oversight hearing on cross-border trucking with Mexico.

March 8, 2007 - 9:15am

Speaking in opposition:

Charles Parfrey - Member, Board of Directors, Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association

James P. Hoffa - Teamsters

John Ficker - President, National Industrial Transportation League

Joan Claybrook - President, Public Citizen

 

It's easy to see it like CODGER describes but my concern as his is the polluted minds
that have been manipulated to believe like the NAZIS did in the 30s. They say it
will never happen again and that we learned from WWII. But "I wonder" if we
the American people can be manipulated by non-sense so easily by our own Government

 

OOIDA Media Affairs

Dear Batman47,

I don't have answers to all your questions, but here is our organization's update:

GOING THE WRONG WAY ON THE HIGHWAY
Mexican trucking program unsafe, unverified, unacceptable

(March 8, 2007, Washington, DC) - American motorists may want to consider remaining off U.S. highways if the Department of Transportation moves ahead with a pilot program to open the Mexican border. Safety, security, driver verification, drug and alcohol testing, hours of service, cabotage, inspections and insurance were just a few issues raised today by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) today during a congressional hearing.

Charlie Parfrey, President of Parfrey Trucking Brokerage in Spokane, WA, testified on behalf of the Association before a U.S. Senate committee on the proposal to permit Mexican trucks to operate on all U.S. highways. Parfrey pointed the deceitfulness of the DOT, having pushed the program through without open, unrestricted review.

"Their effort has been almost entirely secret and beyond public view or scrutiny. OOIDA firmly believes that DOT has not complied with Section 350 of the 2002 Transportations Appropriations Act," Parfrey declared.

Todd Spencer, Executive Vice President of OOIDA, commented on the issue from the Association headquarters stating, "It is simply abhorrent to think that our government would allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways when it's obvious the DOT has not fulfilled the requirements with regard to safety, economic and homeland security."

In written testimony, Parfrey and the Association pointed to serious questions the DOT has failed to answer, including the following:

Commercial Driver's License - No evidence has been shown to prove that the Mexican commercial driver's license is equivalent to what is in place in the United States.

Hours of Service - There is no way of verifying if Mexican truckers have been on the road for two hours or two weeks before they enter the United States.

Safety - No evidence was provided showing that Mexican trucks will be held to the same high standards that U.S. trucking firms are federally required to meet. Also, no one could answer what would happen if a Mexican truck driver were to collide with a U.S. motorist.

Enforcement of Cabotage - Current cabotage law prohibits foreign trucks and drivers from moving loads from point to point within U.S. borders. While Mexican trucks will theoretically not be allowed to make point-to-point hauls within the states, no plan was outlined as to how this will be enforced.

Alcohol & Drug Testing - It is not clear who will oversee the collection of random testing samples of Mexican drivers.

Parfrey also pointed out that millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent, and will continue to be spent, along our southern border, doing what the government of Mexico cannot, or will not do - insure the safety of the Mexican trucking industry by adopting meaningful, compatible regulations.

"It seems to me that the Department of Transportation is bending over backwards to accommodate Mexican motor carriers, 1,000 Mexican truckers, and the Mexican government. Yet on matters that would significantly help hundreds of thousands of American truckers and advance safety on our country's highways we often hear from DOT officials that it has limited resources and staff," said Parfrey.

Spencer added that "Today, Americans have no more assurances than they did in 2002 when the Congress overwhelmingly told the Bush administration that safety had to be assured before the border with Mexico can be opened. It is clear that there remain too many significant questions, with very few, if any answers, that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that this pilot program is not in the best interest of the American public."

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is the national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo. area. The Association currently has more than 149,000 members from all 50 states and Canada.

 

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,
and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Senate
Appropriations Committee
Chairman Senator Patty Murray, D-WA
173 Russell Senate Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

Ref: March 8, 2007

Statement of Chairman Patty Murray - Hearing on Cross-Border Trucking with Mexico Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development & Related Agencies - Thursday, March 8, 2007

Cross Border Truck Safety Inspection Program - 02/23/07

Issues related to the entry of Mexican trucks into the United States, letter to President George Bush (March 6, 2001)

Subject: Super Highway and U.S./Mexico Cross border traffic - On line

Cross Border Truck Safety Inspection Program
DOT 21-07

Issues related to the entry of Mexican trucks into the United States, letter to President George Bush (March 6, 2001)

Subject: U.S./Mexico Cross border traffic

Dear Senator Patty Murray:

I wish to thank you for your willingness to explore the administrations DOT U. S./Mexico Cross border trucking Pilot Program.

"There is certainly reason to question whether this agency can adequately evaluate a one-year pilot project when you consider the fact that certain requirements of Section 350 do not kick in until 18 months after the first truck crosses the border."

All we ask is to be represented. Many of my questions are presented in an effort to better understand the entire impact both for Mexican drivers traveling to the U. S. throughout highways/byways and U. S. trucks operating in Mexico.

While the U. S. infrastructure may be capable of handling Mexican trucks provided all areas of concerns are meant, is Mexico’s infrastructure ready?
What levels of safety can Mexico offer U. S. drivers?

This letter and others referenced above make a humble attempt to explore every issue relating to cross border traffic increasing on both sides. A fair and balanced playing field is of extreme importance if NAFTA is to succeed.

While I'm not the greatest fan of NAFTA, it’s presently the law of the land, so if you want it to succeed, encourage U. S. and foreign companies doing business in Mexico and South America do pay prevailing U. S. factory wage or at least minimum wage.

The American people owe a debt of gratitude to you and Charles Parfrey, Member, Board of Directors, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, James P. Hoffa, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, John Ficker, President, National Industrial Transportation League and Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen for keeping the American people abreast of possibly the most important issue of our internal struggle to stay independent, not with standing:

S. 330 and H.R. 750

The most recent bills S. 330 and H.R. 750 are the most compressive reforms I’ve ever seen, addressing boarder concerns and amending many existing sections to include Worldwide Level of Family-Sponsored Immigrants- The worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants under this subsection for a fiscal year shall be no more than 960,000.

These bills do not put forth the frame work for a Workers Guest Program, yet they do address boarder concerns to include surveillance, detaining every illegal immigrant, roads, city fences, 500 additional boarder guards annually and much more, totally dependant upon funding.

Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate) [S.330.IS]

Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007 (Introduced in House) [H.R.750.IH]

If as a nation of free men and women, were willing to sell our nation out then at least President Bush can be honest and tell the American people its time to rename our country:

The Socialist Republic of North and South America-09/-7/01

Many of my questions have no answer and when there are fewer answers then questions, its time to step back.

Rather then be bogged down by answers to questions I don’t have, that research could easily find out, I’m going to ask questions and move as quickly forward as possible and while I don’t expect answers to my questions by anyone, I do hope you and other elected representatives keep them in mind, thoroughly investigating sensitive areas of concern.
If DOT can't answer my questions or in the end your questions or those of our elected representatives and this Pilot Program commences, the American people will hold the House of representatives and Senate accountable, as President Bush’s policies as the decision maker for DOT, are in my view harmful for not only our economy, not with standing NAFTA provisions but the Safety of the American people, with out first, traveling through revisited issues, instituting an equitable program thereby maintaining a state of balance between partnering countries.

The President has had many years to address these questions and encourage Mexico to invest in both net working systems and infrastructure but his administration chose not to.

In 2001, Bush’s administration tried to honor NAFTA provisions allowing for cross border heavy cargo transported by 18-wheelers between nations. At that time there was a poorly thought out plan and today the plan lacks essentials, verification and safety to repeat only a few concerns.
Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta June 27, 2002 announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is "confident that we have achieved our goal of setting a firm safety foundation" for Mexican trucks to operate in the United States, as required under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In June 27 testimony before the U.S. Senate, Mineta said that the DOT has successfully completed the steps called for by Congress in the 2002 Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The DOT has hired over 200 individuals to serve as Border Inspectors and Safety Auditors in an effort to comply with congressional requirements, Mineta indicated. The Department's safety oversight regulations were also revised to ensure Mexican trucks operating in the United States meet the same standards as their U.S. and Canadian counterparts, he said. Moreover, new regulations regarding vehicle inspections for Mexican carriers have been issued and funding has been allocated to improve border infrastructure.

Mineta is currently reviewing a recent report on border operations by the DOT Inspector General to determine if the border can be safely opened to Mexican trucks, and he must certify that opening the border to commercial traffic from Mexico does not pose an unacceptable risk to the American public. In addition, President Bush must act to implement the transportation access provisions of NAFTA before Mexican motor carriers will be allowed to operate outside of the border commercial zones they are currently confined to in the United States.

Mineta said the DOT will continue to fully address all necessary issues "to allow the border to open in the near future."

NAFTA Reflection on the Inspector Generals Report, letter to Honorable Representatives of the American People of the U. S Senate (May 28, 2001)

These days long past I guess:

I request that you consider supporting OOIDA and ___________________________ (Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) – 2001) resolution to delay granting Mexican trucks authority to operate in the U.S. under NAFTA until a prescribed comprehensive plan to ensure their safety is in place; announced at a press conference by (Rep. Oberstar and co-sponsor Rep. Jack Quinn (R-NY) in Washington on Thursday, May 24, 2001). Representatives of OOIDA, trade unions and a number of congressmen attended the event from border districts. _________ (Thirty-one – 2001) additional lawmakers are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution.

Is it possible our elected rep’s are unable to represent the American people any more as NAFTA rules any particular administration. Had President Bush not lost the House, his dominance could have prevailed and still may in the Senate unless our elected rep’s represent the American people.

"By a vote of 285 to 143, the House of Representatives voted last week to deny the Department of Transportation the ability to register Mexican carriers to operate throughout the United States. This move bars Mexican trucks from operating beyond the commercial zones of border cities in the U.S.

For a report on how your elected representatives voted, go to the list below and you can find your Congressman by the state where you live. If you like the way your elected representative voted on this issue, let him or her know!

OOIDA applauds the action and Jim Johnston, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said, "The size of this vote shows, that while there may be Congressional support for NAFTA, there is significant concern for the potentially devastating highway safety impact of allowing Mexican trucks unfettered access to U.S. highways."
OOIDA now urges the Senate Appropriations Committee to make the Sabo amendment part of its transportation bill.

Meanwhile, according to a White House spokesman, President Bush was disappointed with the House vote and is going to work to reverse it. The most logical place to undo the House vote would be in the House/Senate conference committee that will negotiate the final details for transportation spending. While virtually anything can happen in a conference committee, if the U.S. Senate were to agree with the House that the border with Mexico is not ready to be opened to trucks, it would be very difficult for President Bush to open the border next January."

Here's the way they voted: eqneedf.jconserv.net:

In 2001, the IG pointed out that enforcement capabilities differ at each border crossing. At 20 crossings, FMCSA inspectors did not have dedicated telephone lines to access databases, such as those for validating a commercial driver's license. At 19 crossings, inspectors had space to inspect only one or two trucks at a time. According to the report, at 14 crossings, inspectors had only one or two spaces to park vehicles placed out of service. Also, the out-of-service space was shared with the inspection space at the majority of these crossings." DOT
"Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta June 27, 2002 announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is "confident that we have achieved our goal of setting a firm safety foundation" for Mexican trucks to operate in the United States, as required under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)."

Notice every policy decision is based on NAFTA and not U. S. Laws.
March 13, 2001 the USA Today reported that $150 billion in gross revenue from goods transported by trucks will come from Mexico to the U. S. What’s the total today?

Market Assessment of Mexico Truck Services In dollar value, the Mexican market for trucking services amounted to US $6,410.1 million in 1997. A growth rate of 4.2 percent is expected for 1998, which would bring the market to US $6,679.3 million. In 1999, the Mexican market for trucking services is expected to grow one percent to US $6,749.4 million. Over the following two years, the Mexican market for these services was expected to grow at three percent per year, as reported by U.S. Department of Commerce November 5, 1998.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics - "Conducts research and analysis in several areas pertaining to international transportation, trade and travel. The Bureau also undertakes a number of statistical programs in these areas."

The U.S. and Mexico: Trade Issues

Mexico Government & Politics


Background Note: Mexico

Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP)
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
400 7th Street, SW - Room 3103
Washington, DC 20590
L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail Station (7th and D Streets)
800-853-1351

I’d be willing to change my Workers Guest Program suggestions and give every illegal alien a 5-year resident card if only NAFTA, Super Highway and the North and South Trade Agreement were scrapped.

U. S./MEXICO WORK GUEST PROGRAM 03/03/07

MCSA, FHWA, U. S. DOT and Customs have their work cut out for them. There are 60 federal safety inspectors scattered throughout boarding states with Mexico. In 1995 seven federal safety inspectors were responsible to ensue that federal safety requirements were adhered to by Mexican Truck businesses and Motor Carriers. Texas state safety inspectors in 1994 totaled 250. In 2001, 401 Texas safety inspectors patrol the counties of Texas, with 47 safety inspectors stationed in the boarding counties.

“In 1995, 54% of Mexican trucks failed inspections. By 2000, the number dropped to 36%, compared to a national average of 25%. In the four Texas counties where the bulk of Mexican trucks enter the USA, there has been no increase in truck-accident fatalities even as the number of trucks entering the state rose 50%, according to Department of Transportation statistics,” as reported by the USA Today March 13, 2001.

How many additional inspectors are needed to inspect every truck? That’s what the DOT says there going to do.

Truck safety is just part of the over all deal and is in no way the only issue to public safety.

“The Kasickis, owners of a Cleveland-based small trucking company, says it the best: "We work hard to meet safety standards. The decision puts us at a disadvantage as business people and as drivers. Nothing good comes from reducing safety standards."

In the Magazine March/April 2001 issue “Mexico’s largest trucking organization spoke at a press conference announcing the necessity for a five-year delay before opening up cross-border trucking between Mexico and the U. S. The National Chamber of Cargo Transport (CANACAR) called for a postponement of the trade panel ruling, warning that Mexican trucks needed time to prepare themselves for competition with U. S. Carriers. CANACAR President Miguel Quintanilla expressed that the border should remain closed “while the conditions for (fair) competition are not in place.” Mexico’s “aging fleet” consisting of approximately 375,000 trucks had an average of 15 to 20 years hard service on very rough Mexican roads and were in no condition to compete with U. S. trucks, whose age average five years.

They got five years and nothing has changed but the desire is stronger then ever.

My guess is there are many 1998 Freightliners among these 100 trucking companies. What year of trucks will be crossing border and do they meet EPA standars?

Hundred’s of Teamsters' union members staged protest in the border city of El Paso, Texas, expressing their concerns relating to open cross-border trucking with Mexico in 2001.

US Teamsters union campaigns against Mexican truckers
By Jerry White
2 August 2001

In 2001 I wrote this statement (what is today’s reality?)

Are we ready for the consequences of making bad decisions? I’ve made some bad ones. Number one, I thought a trucking business could be profitable. Boy was I wrong. Small trucking businesses with two trucks are not profitable unless your fuel purchase is $1.30 a gallon and your rate per mile is consistently $1.35 per mile to include deadhead miles. If you must deadhead 100 to 300 miles your load delivered or next load must make up the extra expense encountered. C. R. England posts their minimum for Refer loads out of Los Angeles as $1.00 per mile. U. S. Small trucking Businesses will continue to go out of business if $.96 to $1.00 per mile prevails as the amount shippers will compensate U. S. Truck Businesses and Motor Carriers. Flatbed rates paid by shippers in western states range from $.50 per mile to $1.25. Oregon and Washington shippers are burdened with higher shipping cost then states like CA, NV, UT, ID, NM, CO, AZ, TX and MT. Backhaul loads are available for $.50 to $.90 from CA shippers/brokers for trucks hauling cargo into California for $1.05 to $1.25 per mile compensated by Oregon and Washington shippers/brokers.
How many trucking businesses have gone out of business since 2001?

Which ones are in trouble now?

I’d sure like to hear from these folks:

Semi Truck Accident Lawyer

Semi truck accident lawyers and semi truck accident victims might find the following terms useful in the event of a semi truck accident and its resulting litigation.

Impact and Benefits of Deregulation speaks for itself.

One word comes to mind, monopolization, yet when you’re paying 68 percent of your revenue on drivers, 2 percent on GPS, internet, on board computers, etc., volume is about the only way you can break even.

Truck maintenance and replacement so high, I can see why Mexican Trucking companies don’t allocate equivalent U. S. Trucking companies and independent truck drivers government fees/taxes and operating costs, for if they did, to include jumping through every loop U. S. Trucking businesses must contend with, they wouldn’t be operating. Wages is just part of the package, yet companies partnering together on both sides of the border may rely on the southern connection for drivers.

Therefore, I want to know if the 100 Mexican Trucking Companies are soley owned, apart of a corporation and or partnering with U. S. Trucking Companies.

FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN THE U. S. TRUCKING AND BUS INDUSTRY - 6/6/01 - 4:44:00 PM EST

If Mexican Motor Carriers are restricted from entering the U. S. market, they will still be allowed to invest into U. S. trucking or Bus companies.
“Foreign investment in U.S. trucking/bus businesses and companies doing international business is now possible as President Bush lifted the long-standing ban. “A moratorium on granting operating authority to foreign owned or controlled U.S. companies has been in place since 1982. It was extended by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act in 1995, but the North American Free Trade Agreement laid out a liberalization schedule for foreign investment in U.S. truck/bus business and companies. In a memorandum sent to the Secretary of Transportation on June 5, President Bush said applications should be accepted and processed immediately. The memo also said that U.S.-domiciled motor carriers owned or controlled “by persons of Mexico” will be required to follow U.S. safety regulations, including drug and alcohol testing; insurance requirement; taxes and fees; and Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service and Department of Labor regulations. While the presidential directive opens the door for foreign investment in companies that haul international freight, these investors still cannot own a controlling interest in a U.S. company that hauls domestic freight,” according to Margaret Gordetsky, Staff Reporter, Transport Topics.

In 2001, Bush’s administration tried to honor NAFTA provisions allowing for cross border heavy cargo transported by 18-wheelers between nations.
How many dual citizen truck drivers are there working for U. S. Trucking Companies?

What plans are in the works to educate and encourage young drivers to become a trucker in today’s economy?

One idea might be offering college incentives after high school for a four year tour of duty driving truck. Enrolling in college full time at the age of 22 with experience under there belt un like any other might appeal to many. Had there been such a program when I was young I may have not joined the Navy. On second thought, bad idea. The Navy needs sailors.
If we need more drivers then we must create incentives and while you are at it, higher rate per mile for hauling cargo, as I have proven a Small Trucking Business needs $1.35 per mile to brake even. Independent Truckers drive there equity into the ground and barely make it, financing there loads through out sourcing companies that buy your invoice.

Shortage of truck drivers is increasing nationwide

It could be though, like Bill Gates testified to, there are more dummies among certain ethic groups of Americans graduating from high school and even less qualified engineers within the U. S.? Of course paying foreign employees $50,000.00 a year rather then $100,000 annually is just part of the world wide corporate business structure, with the exception of corporate CEO’s salaries/perks, Americans lucky enough to become engineers in Gates view I guess and prevailing wage jobs in the U. S.
It takes 15,000 megawatts (15 Nuke Plants) to supply world wide internet servers the power they need so we can use the internet and Microsoft word makes it possible for me to type and connect to the inter net.?
Yesterday, President Bush announced he was heading to South America to reassure our Latin allies our government is committed to free trade and the continuation of a 31-year trade deficit policy.

Our President exclaimed the goal is to provide economic opportunities and economy growth, creating jobs so South Americans can work in there own country and not be forced to immigrant illegally to the U. S.

The very corporations he is trying to help don’t create U. S. scale jobs or even minimum wage jobs.

Freightliner LLC

More than 152,400 units (2004)

35% of Class 8 vehicle market (NAFTA region, leading heavy-duty truck producer)

31% of Class 6-7 market (second largest producer of medium-duty vehicles)

How much does a factory worker at FreightLiners factory at Santiago Tianguistenco, Mexico earn an hour?

My research leads me to believe its $3.00 an hour in pesos?

Freight Liner in Mexico: Friday 24 April 1998, 9:00 GMT

FREIGHTLINER INCREASES TRUCK PRODUCTION IN MEXICO
Portland, Oregon - Freightliner, a Daimler-Benz unit and North America's leading producer of heavy trucks, today announced it will double the daily production of its Freightliner Class 8 over-the-highway trucks manufactured in Mexico for export to the U.S. market. This follows a recent announcement that the company's five U.S. manufacturing plants in Portland and North Carolina will increase truck output by operating three shifts of full production, plus Saturday production days, and will hire 1,300 U.S. workers this year to fill increasing truck orders.

Freightliner President Jim Hebe was joined by Mexico President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon today to announce the creation of 600 new jobs and the company's US$9.0 million investment in the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing plant in Santiago Tianguistenco where the Freightliner trucks will be manufactured. Since 1991, Daimler-Benz has invested over $200 million in the Mercedes-Benz plant. This plant already produces Freightliner heavy-and medium-duty trucks, Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses for the Mexican market, in addition to Mercedes-Benz E- and C-Class cars.

Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Freightliner
How many of these trucks made it to the U. S.?

EPA standards for semi trucks:

ASTM Issues Biodiesel Fuel Standard

Americans have worked hard and long on this program:

Will Mexican trucks be using Biodiesel?

Long regarded as noisy and dirty, diesel may yet play a role in improving fuel efficiency. By Alex Nixon

Will Mexican trucks be using Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD)?
Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants from Mobile Sources
New Proposed Rule - April 2006

Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD)

Starting June 1, 2006, most diesel fuel in the U.S. will be "ultra-low sulfur diesel." The diesel fuel we use now is low sulfur diesel. Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) has less sulfur than low sulfur diesel, which makes it a cleaner burning fuel. Combined with cleaner burning diesel engines and motor vehicles, ULSD will help improve air quality.

Freightliner to build second plant in Mexico – Dec 22, 2006 11:00 AM
Freightliner LLC plans to build a new $300-million truck manufacturing plant in Saltillo, Coahuila, in northern Mexico, for the production of Freightliner and Sterling-brand trucks starting in 2009.

“This new facility underscores our confidence in the NAFTA truck market, and our bullish mid-term outlook for industry recovery post-2007,” said Chris Patterson, Freightliner’s president & CEO. “Frankly, we were not able to produce what we could have sold in 2006 due to capacity constraints. We expect another surge in customer demand in 2009 prior to the next round of EPA emissions regulations…so this new plant will ensure that we are fully prepared.”

HIGHWAYS IN MEXICO (1993 est.):

Total: 245,433 km paved: 88,601 km (including 4,286 km of expressways) unpaved: 156,832 km

There is other ways in which shippers in Canada the U. S. and Mexico can ship their goods and products internationally and surprisingly the railroad offers substantial benefit competing with cross-border trucking.

“The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, Fort Worth, Texas, launched a service to compete with cross-border trucking. BNSF's new Mexi-Modal intermodal service creates a seamless transportation network connecting major markets in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. BNSF coordinates the entire transborder shipping process, door-to-door, through cooperation with Canadian National Railway Company, Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana and several Mexican trucking companies. "Mexi-Modal is the solution to decades of difficulties for companies that have used over-the-road carriers to transport goods to or from Mexico, as well as those that have avoided transborder commerce entirely because of the cumbersome process," said Richard Miller, assistant vice president, BNSF Mexico Business. BNSF's Mexi-Modal service consists of three distinct products:,” according to truckinginfo.com.

MidBridge -- This product mirrors how most transborder truck transportation into and out of Mexico is conducted today, by allowing the purchase of products to occur at the "middle of the bridge" between Laredo, Texas and Mexico. MidBridge allows freight to be moved by rail in the U.S. and Canada and by truck in Mexico.

Laredo -- This product allows a customer to move full truckload freight from the U.S. or Canada by rail either to or from a designated warehouse in Laredo, Texas -- enabling customers to store freight in Laredo, Texas for warehousing.

MexiStack -- This all-rail product allows the purchase of goods to occur at the U.S., Canadian or Mexican origin or destination. North of the border the customer's freight is moved by BNSF or CN, and by TFM in Mexico.
How are the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, Fort Worth, Texas doing with transporting international goods and products?
There are still many negative factors that play a significant role for both U. S. Motor Carriers entering Mexico:

Lack of security in Mexican highways.

The lack of security on Mexican highways is, by far, the largest problem affecting this industry. The soaring cost of insurance is the result.
According to the Mexican Association of Insurance Companies (Asociacon Mexicana de Instituciones de Seguros-AMIS), the transport insurance business paid trucking losses at an incident rate of 78 percent in 1997.
This rate reached 93 percent in 1996 making insurance costs the biggest barrier to trucking firms. Among the solutions being tried is the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to locate trucks at all times. For further information on the Mexican market for GPS see the ISA titled:

SECURITY EQUIPMENT: ACCESS CONTROL-COMMERCIAL TRUCKS by Ofelia Velazquez, August, 1997.

According to the Secretariat of Communications and Transports
(Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes-SCT), there were 332,500 trucks in Mexico in 1997. Of those trucks, 297,215 are used to transport general cargo and the remaining 35,285 vehicles are used to transport specialized cargo. The average age of the fleet is 15 years. Age translates into high operational costs and increased probability of accidents and resulting in higher costs to potential customers. Most trucking firms claim that their operational costs are high because the price of diesel fuel increases on a monthly basis and spare parts are expensive. In addition, highway tolls and other fees are high. Making things worse, new regulations have limited the weight of cargo and the dimensions of vehicles.

In 2001, there were approximately 4,700 trucking firms. Some 1,400 firms are small and individually or family-owned. Usually these firms have one to 50 vehicles and operate within a limited number of cities or along routes linking small and medium towns. They usually offer general cargo services rather than specialized transportation services. Another 3,250 companies constitute the core of the fleet, each having 50-100 vehicles. These offer nation-wide service, have offices in more than one city and most have reached complementary agreements with foreign firms. Some offer general as well as specialized cargo services. The remaining 50 firms have more than 100 vehicles apiece. These firms also offer national coverage, have offices in several cities and offer other transportation-related services such as storage and distribution.

All these firms travel along Mexico's highway network that stretches for 196,327 miles. Of this figure, 30,563 miles are federal roads, 37,848 miles are state, 96,571 miles are rural and the remaining 31,345 miles are breach roads."

What do we know about Mexico's commercial infrastructure in relationship to those concerns American Motor Carriers have when travailing in Mexico?
The condition of highways and gravel roads determines the time involved in transporting cargo, freight or produce.

Having a greater understanding of city and county road weight and length restrictions for commercial vehicles allows Motor Carriers to avoid heavy fines and tickets. International Hazardous waste placards are a given but where can't you haul a trailer with certain types of cargo. In Colorado you're restricted from hauling chemicals and various other products in the vicinity of some rivers or in California within city limits on certain roads.

Every state in America has restrictions for one thing or the other. Even driving a Semi Truck on various county roads in America requires extra annual county fees.

Every State in the U. S. has laws concerning over weight commercial trucks and where to obtain Permits.

Some coast roads and highways travailing through U. S. National and State Forest in Oregon and other States, will not allow trailers longer then 35 to 40 feet in length or for that matter, semi trucks with or without a trailer.

The Mexico Department of Transportation has it work cut out for itself. Questions I would present are as follows:

1. How does Mexico rate the condition of the countries 88,601-km of paved roads (including 4,286 km of expressways) (1993 est.)?
When I was living in Mexico December 1999, 2001, 2003 (last time I inspected this highway as there have been reports of pirates on these roads), the highway between Ensenada and San Felipe was paved but had deep pot wholes every foot in any direction. Traveling speed was around 5 to 10-miles an hour in a Motor Home. I would not recommend this highway to anyone hauling produce or Television sets.

2. How does Mexico rate the condition of the country 156,832-km non-paved roads (1993 est.)?

3. What are the weight and trailer lengths in specified areas within Cities,
Ejido's, Colorado's or States?

4. Where is the specific bridges with height and weight restrictions or for that matter, a list of Bridges semi trucks are not allowed to travel on?

5. Where is the List of restricted areas throughout Mexico where you cannot drive a trailer or haul a container that has an International Hazardous waste placard?

6. What is the ticket or fine for violating an Mexico DOT regulation relating to overweight, speeding, travailing over the wrong bridge or being in the wrong place with an International Hazardous waste placard on your trailer or container?

7. What provisions have been made in order to allow the American Motor Carrier to pay tickets or fines to the Mexico Government Agency responsible rather than the police.

8. Where are all the designated truck stops throughout Mexico, allowing
American Motor Carriers a place to shut down after ten-hours of driving?
9. Will truck stops have Federal Protection?

10. Throughout Mexico there are Federal Inspection Out Post. Once an
American truck has been issued an inspection certificate, will the truck be re-Inspected each time it encounters a Federal inspection Station?

From Tijuana to Camalu there were three Federal Inspection Out Post in December 1999.

As of March 8, 2007 there are three toll crossings on the Quota in Ba Ja, and most of the Quota off ramps restricted heavy truck traffic from exiting the Quota in order to prevent commercial vehicle traffic on the coast roadways.

11. Will Mexico require Single State Registration or Process Agents in each State?

12. Will there ever be a Weight and Mile Distance Tax to cover highway
construction and maintenance with increased commercial traffic from Canada and the U. S. created in Mexico?

13. Is there a centralized data base Mexican Motor Carrier's Insurance can be verified?

Thank you for looking into this matter.

Verry Respectfully,
Bruce Wayne Henion
EQNEEDF

Copy to:

OOIDA

INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS PRESIDENT
Loyd R. Henion

Senator Gordon Smith
Washington, DC Office
404 Russell Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Barack Obama
Washington D.C. Office
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-MN
Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District
2365 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA
Washington, D.C. Office
173 Russell Senate Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-ID
P.O. Box 1316
Springfield, OR 97477

International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
25 Louisiana Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001

John Ficker, President,
National Industrial Transportation League
1700 North Moore Street
Suite 1900 - Arlington, VA 22209

Joan Claybrook,
President, Public Citizen
215 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC. 20003

American Trucking Associations, Inc.
Transport Topics
2200 Mill Road
Alexandria, Va. 22314
News Editor
Neil Abt

 

I recently retired from law enforcement. I have a good deal of experience dealing with our "Friends" to the South. First of all, we should assume that many of the so called Mexican carriers are in bed with organized crime. Secondly, there is little doubt this will be an avenue for futher drug and other criminal activity. Thirdly, there are no restrictions placed on mexican drivers' hours in Mexico. Many or even most will be very fatigued when they reach our borders. Their lack of knowledge of US rules of the road, unfamiliarity with our road system and inclement weather (snow/ice for example), inability to speak the language and condition of equipment mean one thing. We are going to see death and destruction on our highways. It is not a matter of if but when. Entire families, sports teams and church groups will be burying their dead. I don't know how many people will have to die before those in authority decide the reverse this awful practice. Here in Oklahoma, a major tire manafacturer closed down, putting hundreds of Americans out of work. So called "American Cars" are being built in Mexico. Again, thousands of our fellow citizens have lost their livelihood. We cannot expect those in authority to do the right thing. We can bring about change at the ballot box. More importantly, all good Americans should boycott products like Uniroyal, Chrysler, Volkswagen and others who build their cars in Mexico. Every American should refrain from travel to Mexico. Any product brought to this country by mexican transportation companies must gather dust on the shelves. We Americans must look after our own. Our brothers and sisters who have lost their careers because of greedy businessmen and pathetic politicians depend on us. Lets not wait for others. Let's get the name of every mexican carrier to do business in the US. Find out what companies are using them and boycott, boycott, boycott. Unless and until we do, we might as well give up and say goodbye to the American way of life.

 

I want to re-assert my point about boycotting Mexico, with respect to vacation or refusing to purchase anything made in Mexico. Since our government has chosen to sell us out, it is incumbent upon all of us to take the matter into our own hands. I have advocated this position in my capacity as a law enforcement officer. Any Mexican, illegal or otherwise, can kill a Peace Officer and hide in Mexico. Suspects are not extradited because the Mexican government believes our death penalty and life without possibility of parole are cruel and unusual punishment. Now, this same government which harbors Cop Killers, along with our own leadership, wants to invade our highways and put all of us at risk. Since the politicians don't have the courage to do the right thing, I say we take the matter in hand. How many of brothers and sisters need to lose their livelihoods until this country takes action? We need to let our representatives know that any of them who support this outrageous policy will find themselves unemployed at the next election. This is a matter of our national security. Terrorists have already taken advantage of our porous borders. This is going to put my family at even greater risk. There is another course which can be taken. My question is this. Is there anything to restrict states and counties from prohbiting mexican truck drivers from passage on state and county roads?

 

Special Report: The NAFTA Trucker
By Charles Bowden
Teamster magazine, November 1999

Targeted safety checks by U.S. officials have found 42 percent of Mexican trucks fail (as compared with 25 percent of U.S. trucks).

But targeted checks are premised on something visibily wrong—a loose hose, a busted light - and there actually are no real studies of Mexican truck safety to date. The only thing that is obvious is that a nation that does not pay drivers a living wage is not likely to dote on taking care of its trucks either.

Mexican drug traffickers know this. When NAFTA was being discussed in the early nineties, the Drug Enforcement Administration picked up conversations between major Mexican drug dealers talking about the bonanza the treaty presented them. In fact, drug dealers began buying border factories, facilities called maquiladoras, in anticipation of the joys of the free trade.

In Mexican popular culture, truckers are heroes, knights of the open road, having adventures and escaping the boredom and economic doom of the countless towns and villages. They are a dream of freedom within the reach and imagination of the average person.

For Juan Alvarez, this freedom is a face glazed with fatigue after just finishing a 1,200 mile haul north from the interior with a load of frozen chicken. His biggest problem, he offers, "is the lack of sleep. I just drove 36 hours straight. Sometimes I get six to twelve hours off between loads." For this schedule, he is paid $500 every 15 days. He gets no days off.

I ask him why he keeps driving a truck and he falls silent and then says, "You suffer, but you learn. And finally you comprehend. Driving a truck is my life."

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose
It is late at night, the trucks are parked on a dirt lot on the south edge of Juarez after long runs from the interior. The men stand around in a group laughing and talking and sipping soft drinks. In a few hours, they will storm south again. "We have no rest," one trucker advises me, "no holidays, no days off, no unions." He is a hearty man in his fifties and wears a dark t-shirt with a huge American flag on his chest. The word AMERICA spreads from shoulder to shoulder.

Dear Bruce Henion, Wednesday, March 21, 2007 6:01 AM

Thank you for helping stop unsafe Mexican trucks at the border. Your voice is being heard. More than 4,500 emails to Congress demanding oversight hearings got the attention of both senators and representatives. Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and other highway safety advocates testified before subcommittees in both chambers. And officials from the Department of Transportation, which tried to avoid its usual process of asking for comments on the proposal, got an earful from lawmakers.

"Our highways are not the place to conduct experiments by allowing potentially unsafe trucks on the road,"
- Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.

This is going to be more "show than scrutiny,"
- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

"I'd like to feel a lot better about the security side of it. If the safeguards aren't in place, we should ... try to stop it,"
- Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Col.

A "monumental" policy change that is "very disturbing,"
- Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y.

"I certainly think it ought to be reconsidered. The administration is just wrong on their policy,"
- Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio.

Even the Department of Transportation's own inspector general told a U.S. Senate subcommittee March 8 that he had no confidence that U.S. and Mexican trucking standards are equivalent, as Congress required six years ago. DOT Inspector General Calvin L. Scovel III also cited flaws in the drug-testing regime planned for Mexican drivers.

Another 1,100 emails were directed to President Bush asking him to raise safety issues with Mexico's president while on a recent visit. But news reports did not indicate that the topic even came up.

Legislation to stop this flawed DOT program could come soon. We will let you know when it does so you can tell Congress to change direction on this dangerous plan by the Bush Administration.

In solidarity,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Dear Bruce Henion, Friday, March 23, 2007 12:37 PM

I have great news for you. Your emails worked. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to block the reckless pilot program proposed by the Department of Transportation to allow hundreds, if not thousands, of unsafe Mexican trucks onto our roads and highways.

You can read more about the vote here.

But we need to keep the pressure on. The full Senate takes up the bill next week. Call (202) 224-3121 to let your senators know that unsafe Mexican trucks don't belong on our highways.

In solidarity,

Jim Hoffa,
General President
International Brotherhood of Teamsters

 

I still dont know why you worry about the Mexicans coming here. Celadon is about 100% Mexican now. Just say Que Pasa to a Celadon driver and see if he answers in Spanish.