News
Mexican trucks ready to roll
By Jim Lamb
The White House pushed back until Thursday its plan to open the southern border to Mexican trucks and buses to comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Earlier, the White House said it would open the border to the Mexican carriers Saturday, but legal action led to the delay.
The Teamsters Union and environmental groups were in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, seeking to block the Mexican trucks and buses, citing safety and environmental concerns.
The court denied their request, allowing the Bush administration can go ahead with a pilot program to allow as many as 100 Mexican trucking companies to freely haul their cargo anywhere within the U.S. for the next year.
Representatives of the Teamsters did not return calls for comment on the ruling. A Sierra Club spokeswoman declined immediate comment to The Associated Press.
Labor, industry and environmental groups have been battling against the Mexican vehicles on U.S. roads since NAFTA went into effect Jan. 1, 1994.
Late Thursday, Bush urged the court to let the trucks roll, arguing that to do otherwise could further strain diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico.
Despite a program by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration to send U.S. inspectors into Mexico to examine trucks and drivers, the Teamsters Union continued to say the vehicles are dangerous and are a threat to U.S. drivers.
Mexico has claimed the United States is not meeting its NAFTA obligations, and in February 2001, a five-person international arbitration panel that included two Americans, agreed.
Bush has long been an advocate of opening the 1,952-mile border to Mexican buses and trucks, and a June 2004 Supreme Court decision seemed to remove the last barriers.
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration said buses and trucks from 100 Mexican carriers will be admitted at first.
Currently, hundreds of Mexican trucks daily cross the border at Nogales, taking their loads to transfer stations in the warehouse district in what’s known as the commercial zone. There U.S. trucks pick up the loads for delivery throughout the United States.
Currently daily backups on the Periferico highway leading to the border crossing last for hours, wasting fuel and possibly damaging produce shipments.
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
Includes information from The Associated Press.
Earlier, the White House said it would open the border to the Mexican carriers Saturday, but legal action led to the delay.
The Teamsters Union and environmental groups were in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, seeking to block the Mexican trucks and buses, citing safety and environmental concerns.
The court denied their request, allowing the Bush administration can go ahead with a pilot program to allow as many as 100 Mexican trucking companies to freely haul their cargo anywhere within the U.S. for the next year.
Representatives of the Teamsters did not return calls for comment on the ruling. A Sierra Club spokeswoman declined immediate comment to The Associated Press.
Labor, industry and environmental groups have been battling against the Mexican vehicles on U.S. roads since NAFTA went into effect Jan. 1, 1994.
Late Thursday, Bush urged the court to let the trucks roll, arguing that to do otherwise could further strain diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico.
Despite a program by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration to send U.S. inspectors into Mexico to examine trucks and drivers, the Teamsters Union continued to say the vehicles are dangerous and are a threat to U.S. drivers.
Mexico has claimed the United States is not meeting its NAFTA obligations, and in February 2001, a five-person international arbitration panel that included two Americans, agreed.
Bush has long been an advocate of opening the 1,952-mile border to Mexican buses and trucks, and a June 2004 Supreme Court decision seemed to remove the last barriers.
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration said buses and trucks from 100 Mexican carriers will be admitted at first.
Currently, hundreds of Mexican trucks daily cross the border at Nogales, taking their loads to transfer stations in the warehouse district in what’s known as the commercial zone. There U.S. trucks pick up the loads for delivery throughout the United States.
Currently daily backups on the Periferico highway leading to the border crossing last for hours, wasting fuel and possibly damaging produce shipments.
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
Includes information from The Associated Press.
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