Teamsters seek injunction to bar Mexican trucks from the U.S.

[BrainGlutton]

Story here:

The Teamsters Union said Wednesday it will ask a federal appeals court to block the Bush administration’s plan to allow Mexican trucks to carry cargo anywhere in the United States.

The union said it has been told by officials in the Transportation Department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that the first Mexican trucks will be coming across the border on Saturday.

Teamsters leaders said they planned to seek an emergency injunction Wednesday from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

“What a slap in the face to American workers, opening the highways to dangerous trucks on Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest driving weekends of the year,” said Teamsters President Jim Hoffa.

Joining the Teamsters in seeking the emergency stay were the Sierra Club and Public Citizen. “Before providing unconditional access throughout the country to tens of thousands of big rigs we know little to nothing about, we must insure they meet safety and environmental standards,” Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in a statement, said: “we believe this lawsuit is without merit and that our program will benefit consumers by reducing the costly practice of requiring all cross-border shipments to be hauled by three separate trucks operated by three different drivers and provide U.S. trucking companies the opportunity to expand their business into our nation’s third largest trading partner.”

Who’s right? What’s more important – protecting Americans’ jobs and the environment, or maximizing economic efficiency via globalization? And how dangerous/polluting are these Mexican trucks, anyway?

[BrainGlutton]

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the injunction. The trucks can roll.

[Johnny_L.A]

Mexican trucks have been limited to operating within 25 miles from the border. US trucks have not been allowed to operate in Mexico. With the lifting of the 25 mile restriction, will American trucks now be allowed to operate in Mexico?

[magellan01]

I want to see just what those safety standards are. And how they will be enforced. We have a hard enough time making sure U.S. cars and trucks are up to snuff, I can’t imagine that Mexico is going to do nearly as good a job. also, one problem that has been in the past few years is the dangers of long-haul trucking. Drivers stay on the road too long, and some use drugs to stay awake, legal and not. I can’t imagine that even longer trips originating in southern Mexico will be even more problematic in that regard. I foresee a few really bad nasty accidents where a few families get killed undoing this nonsense being pushed by Bush and the whole globalization/North American Union crowd.

[asterion]

This has been a recurring issue over the years. I believe it was brought up once during the Clinton administration. The way I see it, there are two issues: Mechanical safety and driver safety. Just because the trucks and drivers are from Mexico doesn’t mean that they won’t be any less safe than the American ones. How many stories have there been about mechanical failures in semis or drivers pushing themselves way too hard and killing someone?

[Ludovic]

I have an opinion. You first.

[magellan01]

@asterion

This has been a recurring issue over the years. I believe it was brought up once during the Clinton administration. The way I see it, there are two issues: Mechanical safety and driver safety. Just because the trucks and drivers are from Mexico doesn’t mean that they won’t be any less safe than the American ones. How many stories have there been about mechanical failures in semis or drivers pushing themselves way too hard and killing someone?

You are correct in that trucks and drivers from Country A would necessarily be safer than Country B. But we’re talking about the U.S. and Mexico. Have you been to Mexico? I have and I see no reason to beleive that their safety standards will be as high as ours, or even if they adopt ours, that they will enforce it. Or can.

[Unregistered_Bull]

@Johnny L.A.

Mexican trucks have been limited to operating within 25 miles from the border. US trucks have not been allowed to operate in Mexico. With the lifting of the 25 mile restriction, will American trucks now be allowed to operate in Mexico?

Yes. I routinely see trucks with Chihuahua and Texas plates well north of the Border already (not due to this measure). Hauling farm equipment to Mexico and utility trailers here.