http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/node/20171


Highway Safety Organizations Urge Congressional Oversight Hearings on Opening Southern Border to Mexico-Domiciled, Long-Haul Tru


Tue, 02/27/2007 - 16:43 — admin
Administration Announces Plan Despite Serious Safety Problems

Feb. 23, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Highway safety groups today sent a letter to the Democratic and Republican leaders of key committees urging oversight hearings following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement that it will open the southern U.S. border to 100 long-haul, interstate trucking companies from Mexico. In 2001, safety groups supported bi-partisan legislation (Public Law 107-87, December 18, 2001) adopted in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate that put the brakes on opening the border until basic safety measures and procedures were in place.

Among the benchmarks are requirements for safety audits at Mexican trucking company places of business to determine each motor carrier’s safety management quality before awarding operating authority, the elimination of inaccurate data about Mexico-domiciled trucks and drivers provided to U.S. authorities, adequate border safety inspection facilities and certified random drug and alcohol testing already required of U.S. truck drivers. In a 2005 report, the U.S. DOT Inspector General (IG) found that many of those benchmarks had not been met. Another IG report is due to be issued in about two months.“Congress had to step in more than five years ago and stop the administration from opening the border until an adequate level of safety was achieved,â€Â