http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_Repo ... shines.htm

Friday, June 29, 2007 – Despite repeated assurances from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that Mexican trucks and drivers will be held to the same standard as U.S. trucks and drivers, that more than likely won’t be the case, according to OOIDA.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed comments on a June 8 Federal Register notice published by FMCSA outlining various aspects of the proposed cross-border program.

The Association points to FMCSA’s admission in its June notice that it intends to grant exemptions to at least three sets of motor carrier safety regulations – and not small, nit-picky regulations, either.

FMCSA announced it will accept the Mexican Licencia Federal de Conductor, Mexican driver medical qualification standards and Mexican drug testing procedures in place of compliance with the U.S. rules.

“The announcement acknowledges that Mexican drivers are being exempted from compliance with the U.S. CDL, medical qualification and drug testing rules,â€