Some truckers oppose letting Mexican trucks on U.S. roads

100 now...1000 by Christmas...100,000 by 2009!! That's my guess unless WE step up to the plate and DEMAND that our opposition is heard by our Congressmen!!! What's that in the article about testing the drivers to see if they can read/speak English? Heck, half of Florida doesnt speak English!! so that's no litmus test. I still say, we need to build a 'GreenZone' within the 20 mile area and have the Mexican trucks deliver their cargo there...the American inspectors can do their thing before American trucks distribute the goods all over the USA.
BC

 

Letting Mexican companies to do business here is going to KILL this industry!! Rates are going to fall, there will be a double standard on safety. These drivers should have to read and write English! As far as I know, you have to take the CDL exam in English. How many of these drivers are going to cross the border and never go back? Write your congressman now and tell him you oppose the DOTs pilot program.

 

Cybergal, do represent ATA? It appears that if anyone disagrees with you then you lock out your Thread. Your last thread in Politics on the Mexican truck issue appeared to me, not to have any personel attacks. but I guess it must have run afowl your PC mind. Based on my conversations with coworkers and other truckers at various places, that once people find out about this, pure rage is the response.

It is my belief that when the trucks start coming over from Mexico, ugly things will start happing at the truck stops. For proof look at what happend in ME and NH, when Canada started coming across. If I'm not mistaken most Canadian truck firms at that time started running teams to keep their trucks moving. I don't know about today, cause I don't run in New England anymore. I can't remember the last time I saw a Canadian truck in my midwestern area.

The United States government has sold us out, and that is the hard truth. In 60 days the trucking industry is going to change forever unless something is done to stop this insanity. According to the labor department over 1 MILLION jobs have gone to Mexico since NAFTA was ratified. How is this good for our country?

On top of the trucking/driver issues, this decree is also going to cause major problems in other areas as well. Drugs, imigration, safety, legal jurisdection, insurance, property rights [bill of lading] just to name a few. This issue is a far greater risk to the security of this country the the U.S. port deal, but is getting none of the media coverage. Why is that?

I guess in the big view it doesn't really matter cause if people like you and the corporate media refuse to cover the issue and ugly side of it, then there really isn't a problem, right? Kinda like the wounded kids coming back from Iraq, and the problems they face at the VA as reported in the Washington Post and NPR only. Outa site, outa mind. We have no problems. However trailer trash like Anna Nicole Smith rate 24/7 media coverage? This is why our country is in the state that it is in. We have raised a generation that is totally ignorant of the hardships of life, and what it took for our country to become the power that it did. Unfortunatly, our values have become rotten to the core, and like it our not it will cause the downfall of the country. Proof, just look at how the NAZI'S took over a democratic Germany in the 30"s. Like it or not that is exactly what is happing in the U.S. today, and why those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

SUPPORT INCOMPETENCE REELECT AN INCUMBENT!

 

It is too late for that to do any good at this point. The time to have done this is over the past 15 years that NAFTA was in the process of being passed, and after being passed, in the process of being developed to this point.

The thing to do now, if you oppose this, is to do everything remotely possible to bring the truth of what is going on out to the public. How do you do that? Just like this article, the media is a great place.

This is big news for those in the trucking industry, but you would be surprised at just how many people have no idea this is about to start. Too many people pay little or no attention to what is going on in our Country until it directly reflects them.

This is why people need to stay up to date with current events and know what your representatives in government or doing, and what they support or are against. NAFTA is a perfect example. If everyone had paid attention to all of this 15 years ago and truly understood what it meant to our Country, this never would have passed. But, since it didn't directly affect people at the time, it was allowed to evolve.

We have the best form of Government in the World, sadly though, the area it fails in is with the voters.

 

Thank You for answering my question Cybergal. You are nothing more than what appears to be a liberal PC correct thinker, who can't tolerate opinion's that go against your ivory tower view of the world. I recommend you get out on the road come May and see what will be happining. I would be willing to bet that what I have written, but blocked for some unknown reason will be far closer to the truth then what you have "allowed" on your boards.

For everyone else ask your self the following question. In the next several days, months and years will freight rate, $$ per mile, and benifits go up or down, after allowing the Mexican truck companies across?

I know from being an O/O for 10 years, that I would be scared to death to still be in that situation. In a year and a half my farm is paid off, and I will be done with trucking forever. So it really will not have an effect on me. But I do feel very sorry for the trucking industry at what is going to be happining in the very near future, expecially for the small companies and O/O's they are doomed, and will be the first to go in the OTR segment. The large companies will have to match the Mexican truck companies and some will probably survive but you can count on 10 to 15 cent per mile wages for drivers with nothing more. For a Mexican driver this is a lot of money, don't blame them because they are poor. If you disagree with this view point I suggest you look at other industries for examples [ Mfg, computers, building trades} I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and know first hand what is coming. Kiss your livelyhood goodbye folks you have been sold out by your government. PERIOD.

Good luck to everyone, since this web site does not believe in freedom of speech this is my last post on it.

SUPPORT INCOMPETENCE REELECT AN INCUMBENT!!!!!!!

 

CyberGal is right, along with freedom comes responsibilities! Freedom of speech is one thing, downright meanness and calling other people names and cursing them is NOT freedom of speech, it is indecency. You, sir, purport to be intelligent, then you should know better to act with human decency toward others no matter WHAT they say! NOW, that is FREEDOM! FREEDOM is allowing others to have their say, as well, WITHOUT being badgered by the likes of you! Don't give us that garbage about free speech, you know better what you spoke was not said in a proper manner. Act decent and speak with respect and you may get your point across much more clearly and freedom can reign for all, NOT just YOU!

 

One has to wonder, they won't let that guy in Houston drive because New Orleans can't provide his birth certificate, but they'll let a bunch of foreign nationals come on in?

Why bother with all these security rules? Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

That is a very good point. This driver, who has been a safe driver for 40 years, cannot work, when it is obvious that the people at the trucking company can vouch for who he is. A stupid technicality keeps him from hauling freight in an industry that is dealing with a shortage of drivers.

But, we can let people, who we have no friggin idea who they are, and know nothing about their background, haul freight in our country.

It makes no sense at all.