Plan to open Mexico-US border moves forward

Brian Straight August 3rd, 2009

An initial plan to restart a version of the cross-border trucking program has moved through the first step and is now heading to Capitol Hill for review according to the Washington Times.

It’s about time. Right after Congress and President Obama officially stopped funding the pilot program - essentially killing it – the administration has said it would put together a new program for Congressional review. That was in March.

Since that time, Mexico has slapped more than $2 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods heading into that country. Whatever you thought about the program, the fact is U.S. businesses are being hurt by the tariffs. A solution needs to happen and happen soon.

According to the Times article, the California apricot industry has fallen off 60% since a 45% tariff went into effect and Mary Kay Cosmetics is paying $450,000 a month in tariff-related charges.

There were no details as to what a new program would look like, but the American Trucking Assns., the Teamsters and others had their say recently with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Here’s hoping that a new program is in place soon.

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Related Topics: Trucking Regulation, Trucking

2 Comments to “Plan to open Mexico-US border moves forward”

1. Dave Watson Says:
   

   August 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 am

   Wow I would expect that kind of opinion out of someone that knows nothing about the trucking industry but to hear it from someone who actually writes for a trucking publication is outrageous. As a one truck owner operator who pulls produce off the borders all the time I’m a bit more concerned about the loss of freight in my trailer and not about Mary Kay or some farmers. If the Mexican border is open I will probably end up having to sell my truck and go out of business along with thousands of other owner operators. I’ll have to admit I’ve never seen your publication before OOIDA posted this article but, from the title i assume its geared towards the large fleet owners who would be more than happy to put terminals in Mexico and increase there choke hold on the industry.

2. terry talbot Says:
   

   March 17th, 2010 at 12:15 am

   i have to agree with dave we are the ones in this country that has had to put up with DOT& FMCSA BS all these years.We have all worked hard to build our business here and to have the mexican trucks allowed to come in and destroy our way of life is not right.they do not have to run log books in mexico and do not have the rules to follow as we do here.dave is right the ones pushing is the large carriers that have terminals in mexico and it is a money thing.if mexico wants to put tariffs on products to mexico then don’t send them anything they don’t have anything but what we ship to them so let them do without.it says trucking never worked out for you with thoughts like this it is no wonder.you really need to wakeup if we keep giving away our freedoms and jobs we are done as a country.you can’t tell me that the government can keep up with all these trucks from mexico with all their new CSA 2010 comming on line the mexican trucks will fall through the cracks while they hammer us which is nothing new to us.our government can’t get anything done that they should be doing better yet take on something like this.i will not even talk about all the taxes and fees that we all pay that the mexican trucks will not have to pay while taking our money to mexico which does us no good at all.

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