Bush urges court to allow Mexican trucks in U.S.
By Paul Elias / Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 08/30/2007 06:55:19 PM MDT


In this file photo, Mexican trucks make their way into the United States at the Bridge of the Americas port of entry's inspection area Monday, June 7, 2004, in El Paso, Texas. The Bush administration urged a federal appeals court Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, to let Mexican cargo trucks cross the border and freely travel anywhere in the country, arguing that to do otherwise could strain diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Mexico. (Photo by Rudy Gutierrez / El Paso Times)SAN FRANCISCO - The Bush administration urged a federal appeals court Thursday to let Mexican cargo trucks cross the border and freely travel anywhere in the United States, arguing that to do otherwise could strain diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The Teamsters Union on Wednesday had asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the program, which the administration said would go into effect on Sept. 6. The plan would let as many as 100 registered Mexican truck carriers drive their cargo anywhere in the country for the next year as part of a "demonstration project."

The court did not indicate Thursday afternoon when it would rule.

The union, along with the Sierra Club and the nonprofit Public Citizen, argues that the plan would endanger public highways because safety issues have not been resolved.

But in its filing Thursday, government lawyers said that the trucks enrolled in the program meet U.S. regulations and that the program is a necessary part of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"Participating Mexican carriers must comply with all legal requirements governing operations of domestically owned carriers, and in some cases stricter requirements," wrote Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler.

NAFTA requires all roads in the United States, Mexico and Canada to be opened to carriers from all the three countries. Canadian trucking firms have full access to U.S. roads, while Mexican trucks can travel only about 20 miles into
the country at certain border crossings, such as San Diego and El Paso, Texas.
The government's filing said some 4.5 million of those short trips across the U.S.-Mexico border are made each year.

"With respect to those operations, Mexican carriers are maintaining a regulatory compliance record that meets or exceeds that of United States carriers," the government said in its Thursday filing.

In its papers, the government also said "the critical bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico would be placed under considerable strain by further delay in the demonstration project, which is an important interim step toward fulfilling U.S. obligations under NAFTA."

Letting Mexican trucks travel throughout the U.S. would be a financial boon to Mexican carriers who have to now transfer their loads at the border. The government also argues that U.S. consumers will benefit because it will be less expensive to ship Mexican goods if Mexican carriers are given access to the entire country.

Congress this year ordered the Department of Transportation to launch a pilot program to study whether opening the U.S.-Mexico border to all trucks could be done safely.

The Teamsters and Sierra Club argued in their court papers that the program proposed by the administration won't yield statistically valid results and that the public wasn't given ample opportunity to comment.

"This is just more deceit from the Bush administration," said Teamsters President Jim Hoffa, adding he was skeptical of administration claims that Mexican truck drivers would be tested for drug and alcohol use.

"How can that be when there are no drug testing labs in Mexico?" Hoffa asked.

John Hill, head of the Transportation Department agency charged with managing the program, said the testing will be done by U.S. companies.

"We believe the established safety protocols are quite rigorous," said Hill, who leads the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Also, the union complained American truckers should be given similar access to Mexico, but the U.S. government said that it's "beyond question that Mexico has committed to provide reciprocal authority to U.S. carriers."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.

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