A group of 44 lawmakers delivered a signed letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood yesterday demanding that the Obama Administration abandon plans to restart a controversial cross-border trucking program for Mexican motor carriers.
“The cross-border trucking program clearly puts foreign interests above our own,” said U.S. Rep. Hunter (R-CA), in a press release. “It’s bad for the American economy. It’s bad for American truckers and the entire commercial trucking industry. And it’s bad for border security. Simply put, the cross-border trucking program is a straight handout to Mexico at the expense of American jobs, taxpayer dollars and security.”
Hunter and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) were joined by 42 other lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, in signing the letter. The politicians cited a number of concerns, including safety, enforcement issues, and the possibility of increased drug smuggling.
“The earlier demonstration project showed serious gaps in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) ability to properly manage the program when they failed to assure that every Mexican truck was properly inspected at the border,” the letter states. “This is critical from a safety perspective to ensure that the vehicle is being operated by a licensed driver and has completed a safety inspection. With the limited number of Mexican trucks that participated in this demonstration there is concern with the FMCSA’s ability to properly monitor a future demonstration project.”
The letter questions the use of Highway Trust Funds to pay for electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) for Mexican trucks.
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