House Delays Mexican-Trucks Plan
The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to delay a Department of Transportation plan to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways, the Associated Press reported.
The 411-3 vote delays DOT’s pilot program and restricts opening the border to 100 Mexican carriers, who would be allowed to use a maximum of 1,000 vehicles, AP said. It also sets safety milestones for Mexican carriers to meet.
The trucks would have to be declared safe first, and Mexico would have to give U.S. truckers the same access south of the border, AP reported.
DOT wanted to start a pilot program this year that would run for a year before fully opening the border to Mexican trucks.
But the House measure specifies criteria for the pilot program before it can start, including setting up an independent panel to evaluate the program and getting certification from DOT’s inspector general that safety and inspection requirements have been met, AP reported.
Iit could be as late as 2008 before Congress's criteria are met, according to the Congressional Budget Office, AP said.
Lawmakers' major concern is whether Mexican trucks, often older than U.S. rigs, and their drivers will be able to meet rigorous U.S. safety standards, AP reported.
U.S. trucking companies have spent years getting their vehicles up to DOT standards, and letting Mexican trucks across the border without making them meet those standards is wrong, lawmakers said, AP reported.
Since 1982, Mexican trucks have only been allowed to operate in the United States within a buffer zone near the border. They then must transfer their loads to U.S. truckers.
The legislation would allow Mexican drivers to take their loads from Mexico to any point n the country, AP said.
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