Thread: Flat Tires at the Border

Flat Tires at the Border
Carlos Macias
March 27, 2008


Trucks at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego. (AP Images)
Even as U.S. Democratic presidential candidates on the campaign trail reopen debate about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), debate between U.S. officials call into question the future of a U.S.-Mexican cross-border trucking program. Six months into a one-year trial, detractors in U.S. Congress seek to dismantle the program. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation found that—halfway through the pilot—the program met all 22 safety mandates set out by Congress.

Nearly a decade and a half ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) required the United States to open its borders and all of its states to Mexican trucks by 2000. But protests by union leaders and safety groups raised concerns about a lack of oversight in terms of cargo inspections and background checks of Mexican truckers, hindering implementation of the trucking agreement. Initiated in September 2007, the pilot project sought to provide an entry point to meet provisions. In December 2007, Congress ended funding for and prohibited establishing cross-border trucking programs. The Transportation Department continued the pilot, arguing the programs were established prior to the December law and igniting a debate, not only with the Senate, but also with the Teamsters and environmental groups.

But while critics complain of concerns that the project does not provide enough oversight in terms of Mexican truckers on U.S. roads, reports by the Transportation Department find that U.S. truckers have benefited more from the program than their Mexican counterparts. At the six-month mark, only 18 out of 100 Mexican trucking companies expected to sign up had participated. Furthermore, U.S. carriers made nearly 700 cross-border trips as part of the project—more than double the trips made by Mexican truckers. “We should be looking for every opportunity to open new markets for our drivers,â€

I don't think that most of us feel that it is just a safety issue. It is the principle of the thing. We don't want it, our government does. We are fearful of the job losses, the government is not. Who is his right mind want to take their truck into Mexico?

costs U.S. consumers $400 million per year.

This seems like a real bargain. I'll pay the two bucks.