U.S. Senate Rejects DOT's Mexican Tractor Trailer Plan
On September 11, the U.S. Senate rejected, by a wide majority, the attempt by the U.S. Department of Transportation to go forward with a program allowing Mexican truckers to drive big rigs throughout the United States. Senators responded to problems raised in the DOT’s own written findings that there are serious problems with this program. Even with these problems, the DOT had still been pushing forward on the program.
The DOT had been moving forward on the plan, despite the following:
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency within DOT responsible for regulating truckers, is not ready to implement the program. The FMCSA is still developing important databases for checking Mexican trucking companies, drivers, and vehicles. FMCSA inspectors do not have vital safety information on Mexican vehicle accident reports, driver violations, or even whether truckers have the same insurance required of U.S. drivers. FMCSA’s “plan” for implementing random drug and alcohol specimen testing is to simply trust in the cooperation of Mexican authorities. (Wasn't it Ronald Reagan who said, "Trust, but verify?" Someone needs to remind the DOT to take this advice).
• Several states have told the DOT that they are not prepared to implement the safety aspects of the program. Other states said they cannot enforce the regulations that prevent Mexican truck drivers from making a trip beginning and ending in the U.S. (called cabotage, a prohibited practice). And, half the states do not have procedures in place to enforce key safety and homeland security issues.
• Despite claims to the contrary, the Department is exempting Mexican truck drivers from the physical fitness requirements it applies to U.S. drivers. Although the two countries have very different requirements, DOT calls the fitness requirements “equivalent.” (!)
Clearly, the U.S. is not ready to implement this program.
For me, this isn’t about illegal immigration or job security for U.S. drivers. (Those issues are for others to tackle).
It is about safety. The Mexican trucking industry has a deplorable safety record. If Canadian trucking companies had this sort of record, I would call to keep Canadian drivers out. Until the DOT can verify that the basic public safety protection measures applicable to American drivers apply to Mexican drivers as well, these trucks have no business driving throughout the country.
