Senate Bans Mexican Trucks [Updated]
[Guest post by DRJ]
Just when I was getting used to the idea of Mexican trucks on US roads, the Senate voted to ban them:
“The Senate voted Tuesday to ban Mexican trucks from U.S. roadways, rekindling a more than decade-old trade dispute with Mexico.
By a 74-24 vote, the Senate approved a proposal by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., prohibiting the Transportation Department from spending money on a North American Free Trade Agreement pilot program giving Mexican trucks greater access to U.S. highways.
The proposal is part of a $106 billion transportation and housing spending bill that the Senate hopes to vote on later this week. The House approved a similar provision to Dorgan’s in July as part of its version of the transportation spending bill.
Supporters of Dorgan’s amendment argued the trucks are not yet proven safe. Opponents said the U.S. is applying tougher standards to Mexican trucks than to Canadian trucks and failing to live up to its NAFTA obligations.”
The first and only Mexican truck delivered its cargo in North Carolina Monday. That might be it for a while.
UPDATE 1: Reuters apparently links this vote to the truck explosion near Piedras Negras yesterday.
UPDATE 2: The Mexican truck that exploded near Piedras Negras was not licensed to haul explosives. After the accident, the driver ran from the scene while shouting warnings to onlookers. The truck did not explode until about an hour after the accident, and most of the people killed did not heed the warnings. Mexican authorities are searching for the driver and investigating the company that sold the explosives.
Veto-proof majority in the Senate too.
More Democrats voting in favour than in Republicans per capita by party affiliation.
Christoph (92b8f7) — 9/11/2007 @ 6:30 pmSo by the arguments of proponents of immigration amnesty, Dorgan is a racist?
Robin Roberts (6c18fd) — 9/11/2007 @ 6:35 pmIf I can get pulled over in california, after driving in from nevada to make sure that my liscense, registration and the contents of my car are valid, then so can mexicans.
I’m just say’n.
wickedpinto (d099bd) — 9/11/2007 @ 9:22 pmThis is probably the best we can hope for.
I would love to see more trucks from Mexico if they are reasonably safe. There has to be some sort of incentive to maintain quality. I think NYC uses a medallion system for Taxis that would work here. Sell only a certain number of electronic permission -to-enter units (fewer than the market wants). Make the price at least 100k GPS installed, so we can tell they aren’t being reused for several vehicles. If the truck is in an accident, pull the unit and sell it to someone else.
Mexican firms will figure out how to keep their units: by having safe trucks and drivers.
Andm ore trade with Mexico means more labor and money in Mexico, which means a better Mexico that people do not have to flee from to find a better life here. People are running from Mexico because Mexico sucks, but they are not assimilating veyr well. It is much wiser and cheaper to encourage MExico to become a great place to live and find good jobs. Part of that is trade, and part is political reform.
Dustin (9e390b) — 9/11/2007 @ 10:03 pmDustin, the NY medallion system is a government operated cartel. And implicit in your own description is that there aren’t enough taxis to properly serve the NY market, which means that the prices are above market.
LarryD (feb78b) — 9/12/2007 @ 8:38 am