Automotive Journal

Recently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released an announcement about extending a trucking pilot program. This particular program provides trucking jobs to Mexican owned and operated rigs. Why did FMCSA do this? Because they want to have one hundred Mexican trucking companies working American roads.

Why is the FMCSA doing this? Where was Congress? Where was the president? The Bush administration enacted this legislation while Congress was on summer recess. Congress had previously opposed this. After all, this could be the end of the American trucking business. If there are cheaper alternatives available, what will happen to local driving jobs?

Making a bad situation for American truckers even worse is the fact that the FMCSA is not providing a level playing field for completion between American and Mexican truckers. American trucks must reach certain safety and security standards. The Mexican trucks do not have to meet these same standards. Not only is the FMCSA giving away American jobs, but they are not considering the impact this could have on public safety.

It is estimated that the U.S. is short 11,000 truck drivers at present, and this number will only grow with increasing fuel costs and shrinking profit margins. Long haul drives, such as walmart truck driving jobs, will only become less attractive.

Remember the controversy over Dubai companies taking over U.S. ports? Truckers think that the FMSCA and Bush administration do, and that is the reason for the air of secrecy about FMSCAas plan to put more Mexican trucks on American roads. They donat want the public to find out. The side effect is that truckers are in the dark about changes to their industry.

The FMCSA certainly isnat talking. They will not answer any questions about the program. They refuse to return phone calls about the program. So who are people calling? Their congressperson. Of course, Congress never approved of this program! They opposed giving Mexican owned and operated trucks unlimited access to American roads and trucking jobs, and it was enacted when they were in recess.

The Senate has attempted to stop the Mexican Truck Demonstration Program. Senator Byron Dorgan, the Democratic senator from North Dakota, amended the Senate Transportation Appropriations Bill to end funding for the program. The FMCSA, with the support of the Bush White House, continues the will of silence about the program.

The Bush administrationas time in office is coming to an end, and in these waning months they are attempting to push through all the legislation they can. Independent truckers are frantically attempting to publicize this issue. It is a race against time to save the American trucking industry.