Take a moment to check out the things around you – everyday items you keep on your desk, at your office and in your home. Take a close look, a really close look. I’m confident you’ll find that most of your belongings are attached to labels that read “Made in China,” “Made in Indonesia” or “Made in Mexico.” These labels tell us what we already know – America actively participates in a global economy.
Knowing this, I am surprised by the degree of controversy that surrounds the yearlong cross border trucking demonstration project. Established in September, this FMCSA-sponsored program allows select Mexican trucking companies to move freight beyond the 25-mile border zone. Up to100 Mexican carriers can operate freely on U.S. roads. In turn, approved U.S. carriers can travel throughout Mexico.
The obvious opponents, which include labor groups and independent truck owners, cite concerns over safety issues. But the project began only after the U.S. DOT Inspector General determined the FMCSA had taken necessary steps to ensure safety and confirmed the agency plans to check every truck that crosses the border as part of the pilot.
The FMCSA is also coordinating its efforts with a number of organizations and many participating Mexican carriers already operate in major cites such as El Paso and San Diego.
The pilot program is just that – a pilot. The idea is to test the waters before diving into a full-fledged border program that could compromise our roadways. I trust this initiative will be the impetus that leads America and Mexico to a sound cross border trucking program.
And the benefits are there. Since 1982, Mexican carriers have used the 25-mile zone to transfer freight to their U.S. counterparts. According to Logistics Today, these drop-and-hook operations run as high as $400 million a year. Supporters say opening domestic roadways to our southern neighbors could save American consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. Also, shippers could enjoy shortened lead times, less freight handling and more on-time deliveries, which translate into additional consumer benefits.
If we are going to participate in a global economy, we must be prepared to take the necessary steps to create safe, efficient and cost-effective trading. It’s almost hypocritical to do otherwise. Let’s not forget that we work and live in a global marketplace . . . the proof is all around us.
There are a few things that I thought you should point out in your blog; things that are active on my mind as a trade unionist, activist and pro-labor blogger, but also things that affect me as an American citizen.
For starters, I am mostly alarmed that there is a blatant breaking of the law taking place by the current administration around this program. The Teamsters pushed out a press release about this on January 7th. In that release they write, “Congress passed an omnibus budget, signed into law December 26, that includes a provision banning funds “to establish a cross-border motor carrier demonstration program to allow Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones.”‘ Here is a link to the press release I am referring to: http://www.teamster.org/08news/nr_080107_3.asp.
While I believe that we need to act globally as well, we should do so with the citizens of the country’s full safety taken as a top consideration. In addition, I don’t like the fact that the administration has broken the law, again. I think that if you or I were to interpret laws to our liking we would probably be spending time in jail.
There is a tremendous safety issue, and I keep alluding to that. From what I understand the Mexican drivers are not held to the same standards as American drivers. I am not sure what, if any, training thy have, but that is not even the point. The point is that if a Mexican driver runs you and your family over (G.d forbid), nothing will happen to that driver. He will get a fine and sent back to Mexico. The chances are that he will be back behind the wheel roaming the American roads within three – six weeks, this is unacceptable. If I, an American driver, was involved with the same heinous scenario, do you know what would happen to me? Among other things, I believe I would be facing vehicular manslaughter. (Not sure, I am not an attorney, a driver).
There are other things involved. For instance, the Mexican drivers are totally being exploited. They are given trucks that are often not up to snuff for the kind of driving they’d be doing in the US. They are not liable to follow out 11 hour days and … if they are pushed, they are obviously putting their own lives in jeopardy, and that is not cool either.
I think that Mary Peters, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, should be indicted on breaking a federal law. I think that she is totally responsible for any of the above scenarios potentially happening …
Anyway, this is my point of view and wanted to share it with you.