The controversy surrounding the decision to allow Mexican trucks free access to US roads, and vice versa, rolls on. After howls of protest greeted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) pilot project, the Department of Transportation and its Mexican equivalent decided to install no-cost (to anyone but the taxpayer) satellite transponders in all participating trucks. The Associated Press reports that Qualcomm has been awarded the contract to source, install and monitor the bugs tracking the trucks' location, speed, cargo and trip details, and mileage. BUT the project has been cut-off at the congressional knees, as the Teamsters (surprise!) successfully lobbied their elected reps to veto funding for the technology. And yet, even without the chips, the project is already underway; there are currently 12 domestic trucks in Mexico, and seven Mexican trucks stateside.
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Most likely the Mexican government will pay for Mexican truckers, and the American government won’t pay for American truckers. Great Job congress.
I used to drive a truck. This scares me. I’d run down to Laredo and El Paso and see the Mexican rigs in question. 1960s and 70s Kenworths, Petes, and Frieghtshakers in horrible condition.
I will never forget sitting at a drop yard in El Paso watching an ancient International cabover manuever infront of a trailer, then honk. An equally rusty 4×4 pulled up front bumper to front bumper and pushed the cabover under the trailer until the kingpin locked, because the rig didn’t have reverse. Most of these trucks do not meet our safety standards.