(The IBT issued the following news release on January 26.)
WASHINGTON — A report issued from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) on January 3, concluded that the Mexican government and the country’s motor carriers have not met the safety requirements and preconditions outlined in provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and therefore should not be granted long-haul operating authority within the United States.
The report reveals that due to the inaccessibility of the Mexican motor carriers for on-site safety reviews by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator (FMCSA), as outlined in Section 350 provisions of NAFTA, access for long-haul purposes cannot be granted.
“The Teamsters have said from day one that the main concern with cross- border trucking is safety,” said Jim Hoffa, General President of the Teamsters Union. “The Bush Administration has chosen to ignore our advice, and pushed their agenda forward. We hope that they will listen to the Inspector General and see the realities surrounding this issue.”
Further, the report not only cites problems with safety inspections, but raises serious doubts about the Mexican government’s ability to provide accurate information regarding a wide array of safety issues.
The report details various concerns with the difficulties the Federal government will encounter gathering data on Mexican drivers to identify high- risk carriers, verifying insurance information, drug and alcohol testing and vehicle safety standards. The report added that recent changes in the hazardous material endorsement process under the Patriot Act will necessitate changes in the agreement.
“With all the obstacles that still need to be overcome, our government must heed the OIG’s warnings,” said Hoffa. “The motor carriers in Mexico need to adhere to the same regulations and standards that our companies and drivers are subject to. Unfortunately, this seems to be a near impossible task with Mexico’s current infrastructure.”