Editorial: U.S.-Mexico Border Standoff
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It seemed like such a simple and logical plan: As the nations of North America removed obstacles to the free flow of goods between them, the barriers impeding the trucks that move those goods also would be torn down.
But events since the Department of Transportation unveiled its plan to initiate a pilot project to finally open the border between the United States and Mexico to international movements by truck fully illustrate why the barriers have stood so long.With the North American Free Trade Agreement, the three countries committed to opening their borders to each others’ trucks hauling goods between the countries. The border between the United States and Canada opened in 1994 and with only a few bumps.But the southern border presented stickier political issues and, for myriad reasons, Mexican trucks operate only in a small portion of U.S. territory just north of the border. Soon after he was elected, President Bush promised in 2001 to open the border with Mexico, but he clearly underestimated the commitment of opponents to bottle up his plan.As the administration prepared to set up inspection stations and related infrastructure to facilitate the opening, Congress imposed 22 conditions that had to be met before Mexican trucks could operate here.In her Feb. 23 announcement, DOT Secretary Mary Peters said the department’s inspector general “has confirmed each and every one of those conditions has been met.”But Peters’ pilot project unleashed a firestorm of opposition, including some from unexpected quarters.It was not surprising to hear the Teamsters and their associated interest groups complaining that the opening would unleash a horde of unskilled drivers operating unsafe trucks on the peaceful streets of America.Concerns have come from U.S. and Mexican fleets, but for different reasons.Concessions DOT made to appease the Mexicans’ fear of competing with much stronger U.S. companies — namely, to delay the right of U.S. fleets to operate in Mexico until Mexican fleets have been operating here for six months — have inspired a backlash in this country.The basic principle behind the creation of NAFTA was fairness. Allowing Mexican fleets a six-month head start on an open border fails to meet the fairness test, and we ask DOT to rethink its plan.This editorial appears in the March 19 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
It seemed like such a simple and logical plan: As the nations of North America removed obstacles to the free flow of goods between them, the barriers impeding the trucks that move those goods also would be torn down.
But events since the Department of Transportation unveiled its plan to initiate a pilot project to finally open the border between the United States and Mexico to international movements by truck fully illustrate why the barriers have stood so long.With the North American Free Trade Agreement, the three countries committed to opening their borders to each others’ trucks hauling goods between the countries. The border between the United States and Canada opened in 1994 and with only a few bumps.But the southern border presented stickier political issues and, for myriad reasons, Mexican trucks operate only in a small portion of U.S. territory just north of the border. Soon after he was elected, President Bush promised in 2001 to open the border with Mexico, but he clearly underestimated the commitment of opponents to bottle up his plan.As the administration prepared to set up inspection stations and related infrastructure to facilitate the opening, Congress imposed 22 conditions that had to be met before Mexican trucks could operate here.In her Feb. 23 announcement, DOT Secretary Mary Peters said the department’s inspector general “has confirmed each and every one of those conditions has been met.”But Peters’ pilot project unleashed a firestorm of opposition, including some from unexpected quarters.It was not surprising to hear the Teamsters and their associated interest groups complaining that the opening would unleash a horde of unskilled drivers operating unsafe trucks on the peaceful streets of America.Concerns have come from U.S. and Mexican fleets, but for different reasons.Concessions DOT made to appease the Mexicans’ fear of competing with much stronger U.S. companies — namely, to delay the right of U.S. fleets to operate in Mexico until Mexican fleets have been operating here for six months — have inspired a backlash in this country.The basic principle behind the creation of NAFTA was fairness. Allowing Mexican fleets a six-month head start on an open border fails to meet the fairness test, and we ask DOT to rethink its plan.This editorial appears in the March 19 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
