Thread: Trucks Not Ready for Our Roads

Trucks Not Ready for Our Roads
Thursday, March 15, 2007; Page A18


The March 8 editorial "Let the Trucks Roll" fell flat. Safety and security are why the Teamsters oppose the Bush administration's dangerous experiment to allow unsafe Mexican trucks onto U.S. roads.

More than a decade after NAFTA was enacted, the Mexican government and Mexican motor carriers are not meeting congressionally mandated safety requirements. It's that simple.

Mexico has virtually no enforceable safety requirements for tractor-trailers and a limited inspection program. Its lax licensing system means we don't know who is driving those trucks. There are no enforced hours-of-service regulations or age restrictions. Mexican carriers will be allowed to provide "proof" that their drug and alcohol testing programs are in compliance with U.S. requirements.

U.S. inspectors, the editorial claimed, will "thoroughly vet the carriers, including every truck and every driver they send over the border." Today, trucking inspectors are stretched to the limit performing safety checks on American carriers. It's impossible to thoroughly inspect every truck. The Transportation Department's inspector general even raised those concerns at a Senate hearing the same day The Post's editorial ran.

Instead of recklessly opening our borders and putting the driving public at risk, we deserve to know that all trucks on our roads are in good condition and that their drivers are qualified, trained and rested.

JAMES P. HOFFA


General President


International Brotherhood of Teamsters


Washington


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02195.html

All the unions are in dire straights with this being the first. Remember the domino theory? All big business has to do is finish breaking the rest of the unions that are left, and we're going to go back to a time when even children had to work 10+ hours a day for the fat cat on the hill.

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

All the unions are in dire straights with this being the first. Remember the domino theory? All big business has to do is finish breaking the rest of the unions that are left, and we're going to go back to a time when even children had to work 10+ hours a day for the fat cat on the hill.

I think you are right Hylander.

W

All the more reason to fight to get this turned around! I shudder to think what America will be like if it remains on its present course.

I think we have like 45 days left before it starts. The clocks ticking folks.

Time for unity and action!

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

All the unions are in dire straights with this being the first. Remember the domino theory? All big business has to do is finish breaking the rest of the unions that are left, and we're going to go back to a time when even children had to work 10+ hours a day for the fat cat on the hill.

The only strong and vibrant unions left are those representing government workers. When the fat cats are done plundering there won't be enough jobs left to have adults employed, much less children.

Related? thread.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=57341

KY:Accept certain foreign commercial driver's licenses