WASHINGTON -- A coalition of private-citizen safety groups hasn't given up trying to keep Mexican trucks and buses out of the U.S., despite being rebuffed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The group, led by Public Citizen, has sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, asking him to re-examine differences between the U.S. and Mexican commercial vehicle industries before moving ahead to open the southern border to northbound trucks and buses.
The group's letter said that since 2001, when a U.S. law was passed clearing the way for Mexican buses and trucks to enter this country, Mexico has yet to bring its laws up to U.S. standards.
"There [are] significant baseline differences between U.S. and Mexican law, regulation and procedure that govern motor carriers," the coalition's letter says. "These differences include changes in U.S. laws and regulations that have increased safety requirements for U.S. motor carriers in the past three years."
The coalition, listed "six areas in which vital safety policies must be reconciled before the border opens to (Mexican) long-haul truck traffic." The issues are:
· Commercial driver License requirements.
· Drug and alcohol resting systems.
· Hazardous materials regulations.
· Verification of insurance.
· Mexican compliance with U.S. safety standards.
· Lack of a database of motor carrier information in Mexico.
"These are important safety matters that demand attention," said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook.
"It's only fair that Mexico-domiciled trucks meet the same hard-won safeguards that U.S. trucks must," added Daphne Izer, founder and chair of Parents Against Tired Truckers, one of the coalition members. "We want to know the trucks are safe and the drivers are well-rested and within the regulations."
Other coalition members include the Center for Auto Safety, the Consumer Federation of America and the Trauma Foundation.
Public Citizen and other groups blocked opening of the border to Mexican trucks and buses for two years when they filed suit over whether an environmental study was needed on emissions from Mexican vehicles.
In July, the Supreme Court threw out a lower-court decision that would have required the USDOT to conduct a review of the impact Mexican vehicles would have on the environment in the U.S., seemingly clearing the way for the border to be opened. Since the court decision, the USDOT has been moving slowly on the issue.
The DOT Inspector General is expected to issue a report soon on the status of safety and border infrastructure issues.