Posted on 10/19/2007 3:56:14 PM PDT by radar101
With Teamsters staffers shouting protests from behind yellow police tape, an inspector from the Maryland State Police in front of US DOT headquarters did a safety check of two trucks – one from Mexico and one from the US – in a demonstration designed to show that the vehicles both met current safety regulations. The red and white Freightliner trucks had their markings and names covered by blue tape in an effort to give an unbiased inspection. However, it was clear to many observers that the white truck was indeed from Mexico based on the driver's language and the outline of covered windshield stickers not usually found on US trucks.
The event was held to quell fears in Congress that Mexican trucks are not as roadworthy as US trucks, a position held by The Teamsters and other groups that oppose the NAFTA program. Both the House of Representatives and Senate have passed legislation that would cut off funding for the demonstration project, but a compromise bill has yet to be hammered out. President Bush has said he would veto the appropriations bill as it stands.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, joined by Mexico’s Secretary of Communications and Transportation Luis Tellez Kuenzler said, “Secretary Tellez is present because he needs to hear the facts not fiction that opponents are putting forth. We want Congress to hear the truth.” Tellez spent the morning talking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Said Tellez pointing to the Transportes Olympic and US Xpress trucks: “Opponents want you to believe that Mexican trucks are unsafe. That is not true…the out of service rate is the same for trucks in both countries.” He also noted that Mexican drivers are issued licenses federally, leading to uniform compliance, and also that drug and alcohol tests are conducted by US laboratories. Referring to the current 25-mile drayage system, Tellez noted, “This program will eliminate the need for three trucks and three drivers saving millions of dollars.”
When asked what step she will take if Congress does not appropriate funds, Peters said, “Once the bill is final, the president will discuss it with his advisors, of which I am one, and we will go from there.”
What a joke. Bush is putting the lives of American citizens at risk by allowing these Mexican trucks onto our roads. Not that he cares. He has stood by and done nothing while tens of thousands of Americans are murdered by latino gangs or killed by Mexican drunk drivers.
Viva Mexico! Jobs? You dont’ need no stinking jobs gringos!
If this is being reported accurately, this almost surreal staged event speaks for itself. Truly bizarre.
“Both trucks were brand new 2007 Freights ... of course they both passed”
What a friggin joke!! Nothing is beneath this administration!!
I think hell has frozen over....freepers agreeing with teamsters????
Well..the issue is clear.....it’s a bad move of monumental proportions.
“Well..the issue is clear.....it’s a bad move of monumental proportions”
That it is!
BUMP
I was a truck wrench for a number of years before getting into management and then my own business. Trucks are extremely expensive to maintain properly with American dollars. Many private owner operators skimped on repairs with a 25cent raise in fuel. They will never explain properly to me how a country with such a high poverty level can safely maintain its equipment. It just does not add up.
Reminds me of a company I worked for on the day it was bought by a larger company.
Management came through and trashed the department by throwing boxes all over the place and dragging equipment out in the middle of the floor. Then they took pictures. Next they made us clean up the mess and gave us new white lab coats with the new company logo and took pictures again then took the lab coats away and we went back to work.
The pictures were printed in some sort of stockholder newsletter and labeled before the sale and after. No body knew the pictures were taken about 15 minutes apart.
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