Did you know that in a March meeting with Mexico's President Felipe Calderón, Obama agreed to opening the southern border to Mexican trucks, again? By doing so he has defied the unions and American truckers, and has passed over Congress on the ever so controversial cross-border issue with Mexico. Obama has also screwed the American taxpayers, as in the deal with Mexico that he agreed to, Americans will be paying for the Electronic On-Board Recorders (EOBR) for the Mexican trucks.
An EOBR is an electronic device attached to a commercial motor vehicle, which is used to record the amount of time a vehicle is being driven. This device however is not fail proof by any means, it requires the driver to manually input duty status changes. This is not a requirement yet for all American trucks (a few companies do use this), but it will be a mandate for all trucks on the roads in a couple of years.
In 1995, the US and Mexico started a pilot program to allow Mexican trucks to travel throughout the U.S. delivering loads brought in from Mexico. The U.S. trucks were allowed to do the same in Mexico, but safety and security concerns spurred the United States to bar Mexican trucks on U.S. roadways. In 2009, Obama signed an omnibus appropriations bill which included a provision to end the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) trucking project with Mexico. In retaliation, the Mexican government placed an arguable $2.5 billion in tariffs on a variety of U.S. goods.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk should have investigated the moot tariffs when Mexico first placed them. But sadly, he and our government, even though repeatedly being asked to investigate these so-called tariffs, refused, abided to, and paid the tariffs. Now, 16 years later the safety and security concerns still exist, but Obama agreed to allow the Mexican trucks back into the U.S.
This cross-border deal will only make more jobs scarce. Obama and his cronies are touting that this is a good deal which will open more freight lanes to American truckers, as they will be able to deliver loads in Mexico, even though American truck drivers operating near the U.S.-Mexico border are being warned of increasing violence among warring drug cartels and told to stay on alert against attacks or hijackings. How many do you suppose will even want to go and drive in Mexico?
Article comments
1 - Todd McCann
This whole thing is a crock. Mexican carriers and their drivers are the only people who will benefit from this deal. Everyone knows that US truckers aren't going to go into Mexico that often. We've all heard the stories of the way Mexican law enforcement works. If even half of them are true, it's just not safe. I can tell you one thing; if my company ever tried to force me to go into Mexico, I'd have two words for them. See-ya!!!
Todd McCann
2 - Smalgov
Thanks Todd, this is all playing out like everything else - rush and hush. They obviously have not thought things through - but that seems to be how the Obeyme administration works. I wouldn't blame any driver if they refuse to go to Mexico.
3 - amuncat
Nobody is going to Mexico! As soon as they cross the border one of the cartels will blow their brains out and steal their cargo! No one in their right mind would go to mexico with anything of value!
4 - Bill O'Reilly
Each truck will have a 22 year old female that is the driver's wife(wink wink). The truck will stay in a truckstop for 3 days, then move to the next one. Load, what load, The easy money is made at night in the parking lot.
5 - June
US trucks will carry drivers into that terrorist country at the risk of their lives. Mexican trucks will carry drugs and illegals into our nation. Can't say the President isn't honoring his campaign promise to "fundamentally change this country."