A few dozen Teamsters waved signs near the Otay Mesa commercial border crossing this morning to protest a one-year pilot program that would give Mexican trucks access to all U.S. roads. That access, which is a provision of NAFTA , has been stalled for years. But the U.S. Department of Transportation could give it the green light Thursday. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson is at the border.
The teamsters' signs said, "NAFTA kills." The union argues throwing U.S. roadways open to Mexican trucks jeopardizes road safety. They're concerned it also threatens national security because truckers could smuggle drugs, people, or terrorists.
Teamsters Vice President Randy Cammack says, further, U.S. truckers could lose their jobs. He lamented that as a Mexican truck loaded with Ford cars manufactured in Mexico passed by.
Cammack : That one truck will cost an American worker a job he has today because the Mexican driver, as with the change in the rule, they can take them anywhere. So they will be taking them to the dealers and replacing the American worker.
Under the old rules, Mexican trucks could not travel farther than 25 miles from the border. However, proponents of the program, like Joe Vega, say those labor and safety concerns are overblown.
Vega directs operations for a trucking company with offices on both sides of the border. He watched the teamsters protest from the sidewalk.
Vega : One truck to cross the border takes four hours. There's only ten hours of service in your logbook. Three hours to go up. They can't make it back. It’s not cost efficient for me to use a Mexican trucker. I am going to use those trucks to keep crossing the border and use other trucks to go to L.A.
The U.S. Department of Transportation says the 100 Mexican trucking companies that'll be allowed to travel U.S. roadways must meet U.S. safety standards. They say the companies must have U.S. insurance, and drivers will be drug tested. Under the program, U.S. truckers will also be able to travel freely in Mexico.
Amy Isackson, KPBS News.
