Talk show hosts focus on Mexican trucks in U.S.

The weekend saw the first Mexican trucks hauling cargo anywhere in the U.S.  It follows a green light given by the U.S. Transportation Department last Thursday.

The action has provided radio talk show hosts with abundant fresh material.

On the other hand, observes Grumpy Editor, the influx of Mexican trucks has been played down in print media, most notably The Wall Street Journal which on Saturday ran a three paragraph piece --- from the Associated Press --- at the bottom of page A 5.

What has the “talkers” talking is that with Mexican truckers rolling across the border and into all parts of the U.S., potential problems loom with security, safety, drivers’ proficiency (including English language), drugs and highway problems.

The long-haul kickoff stems from the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S. and Mexico, allowing cross-border deliveries to open up to 100 companies within four months.

Before the program, Mexican trucks were limited to delivering goods in the border zone or passing them to U.S. trucks.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Aug. 31 refused a request from the Teamsters and other groups to block the Mexican vehicles.