DOT ponders extending Mexican truck program - Today's Trucking, the truck news site.

PROFILE | SUBSCRIBER SERVICES | CONTACT US | ADVERTISING
[ Logout G SNYDER ]

Eat Your Greens

The institution of science, like education and media, has become highly politicized.

O...more

FUEL ISSUES
LABOR ISSUES
ENGINE EMISSIONS
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
HOURS OF SERVICE
CROSS-BORDER TRUCKING

SIGN-UP HERE

NewsFIRST
Lockwood's Product Watch
NewsFIRST: Mid-week Report

View the Newsletter Archive.


National Trucking Week 2010 (Sep 5 -Sep 12)

Brake Safety Awareness Week 2010 (Sep 12 -Sep 18)

North American International Powertrain Conference (Sep 15 -Sep 17)

See more details and events

News > Headline News > 03/07/2008

DOT ponders extending Mexican truck program
03/07/2008

WASHINGTON -- Just because the U.S. government faces the prospect of having a court cancel the controversial Mexican truck pilot project, doesn't mean it plans to put on the brakes any time soon.

In fact, according to a San Diego Union Tribune report, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration boss John Hill indicated this week that he might extend the program, which allows pre-selected Mexican carriers to transport goods beyond the longstanding 20-mile border restriction zone.

Hill blamed opposition to the program for depressing interest from Mexican truckers. He said many carriers that would qualify under the pilot are reluctant to pay the costs and take on the insurance risk "in light of the uncertainty of whether or not it (the program) is going to continue."

The FMCSA and its opponents are awaiting a decision from the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco on the legality of the pilot. The Teamsters, Public Citizen and other groups sued the government agency, arguing that it failed to comply with a Congressional order to halt the program.

The government's defense is that Congress' bill refers to canceling funds "to establish" a program, and doesn't apply to the cross-border project already underway.

Hill said that one way to get more carriers involved and collect additional safety data would be to extend the project, which reached the halfway point this week.

The program allows up to 100 carriers from each country to send trucks across the border. But, so far, only 18 Mexican carriers and five U.S. carriers have participated.

More articles like this:

- "Cross-Border Trucking" Full Story

Comment on this article in the (box) below, or to send feedback privately to the editor, click here

HYDRAULIC AWD

Tuthill's EZ Trac all-wheel-drive system is based on simple hydraulic technology ...more

INNOVATIVE LOCKS

How about being able to work all your truck's locks with the ignition key? ...more

DISC-BRAKED TRAILERS
Meritor trailer suspensions get PAN 22 air discs ...more

2010 KENWORTH T660

2010 KENWORTH T660 HIGHWAY TRACTOR, 72" AERODYNE W/FAIRING SLEEPER, CUMMINS ENG; 1650, 485 HP, 13 SPD TRANS; 12 & 40 W/FULL LOCK AXLE(S), 232" WHEELBA....more

Newsletter Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Advertising | Privacy Policy