Oberstar, DeFazio call for DOT review of cross-border truck plan

Oberstar, DeFazio call for DOT review of cross-border truck plan The chair of a U.S. House of Representatives transportation subcommittee Tuesday questioned the Department of Transportation's decision to go ahead with a pilot program to allow freight trucks from Mexico to enter deep into the United States.
   'I remain skeptical about the wisdom of DOT's decision to go forward with opening the border,' said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chair of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
   DeFazio's remarks came at the opening of a House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing on vehicle safety concerns over the DOT project, which would allow trucks of 100 U.S.-certified Mexican companies to travel beyond the 20-mile trade zone now enforced at the U.S./Mexico border.
   The Mexican trucks must meet U.S. safety standards and drivers must abide by U.S. labor laws before certification to participate in the project is granted by the DOT.
   Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, joined DeFazio in calling for a complete review of the project.
   'Chairman DeFazio and I have requested the DOT Inspector General to conduct a separate review of the first six months of the pilot program to determine whether DOT has established sufficient controls to ensure that the 100 carriers participating in the pilot program are in full compliance with all U.S. federal motor carrier safety laws,' Oberstar said.
   Oberstar and DeFazio are asking the DOT Inspector General to:
   * Investigate how Mexican drivers are checked for compliance with U.S. labors while operating in the U.S. and prior to reaching the border.
   * Determine how U.S. drug and alcohol testing standards are being applied to Mexican drivers.
   * Identify how Mexican carriers are receiving U.S. insurance.
   * Report any problems with inaccurate or incomplete data on vehicles and drivers submitted by Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to the DOT.
   'Under the NAFTA ruling the U.S. retains the right to enforce its safety standards on Mexican trucks,' DeFazio said, 'however, this right is virtually meaningless if the U.S. does not have enough inspectors to monitor the large number of trucks crossing the border.'