Senators file legislation that might delay DOT Mexican trucking pilot program
The Trucker News Services
3/22/2007
Senators file legislation that might delay DOT Mexican trucking pilot program
WASHINGTON (March 22, 2007) — An amendment offered today by three U.S. Senators to a Supplemental Appropriations bill now before Congress would effectively delay the Department of Transportation's limited one-year demonstration project to authorize up to 100 Mexican trucking companies finally to perform long-haul international operations within the U.S until such time as the Mexican government could reciprocate to U.S. carriers.
Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced the program Feb. 23, saying that that Mexican trucks already permitted on U.S. roads in border areas are as safe as trucks operated by American companies, and that her agency was prepared “to demonstrate to you, the Congress, and to the traveling public that we will be able to implement Section 350 successfully to allow Mexican trucks to operate safely beyond the commercial zone.”
The amendment, filed by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D., and Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., would not allow the pilot to be implemented until “simultaneous and comparable authority to operate within Mexico is made available to motor carriers domiciled in the United States” and requires that the pilot program adhere to title 49 of U.S. code for pilot programs conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
After Peters announced the program, it was reported that Mexico could not reciprocate for at least six months.
The Supplemental Appropriations bill is best known for its request from President Bush to provide additional funds for the Iraq War, but also contains appropriations for other initiatives, including the Mexican pilot program.
The three Senators also inserted in a report of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development the following language:
“The Committee has included language requiring that the Administration’s recently-announced pilot project for the initiation of cross-border trucking with the Republic of Mexico shall be subject to the statutory requirements contained in title 49, United States Code, for 'pilot programs' conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The language also ensures that long-haul Mexican trucks shall not have access to Unites States highways beyond the current commercial zone until trucking firms domiciled in the United States have the opportunity for comparable and simultaneous access throughout Mexico. This section arises out of concerns raised by the Committee during a hearing held by the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies on March 8, 2007.”
— The Trucker News Services
