For what it´s worth department. There was alot of press concerning Mexican drivers coming into the USA a few months back. I was in Mexico at the time doing some r&r, and I tuned into the Mexican TV network news. At the time, the Mexican president was making an issue of the NAFTA agreement, and needed some positive press with his own countryman, so he picked the trucking industry to make a point and try to get a win in the Mexican press. He used the NAFTA terms (too complex to understand, let alone get into for me. Hell, the players don´t even get it yet.) which in part had provisions to allow Mexican drivers to run into the USA and Canada and back to Mexico just like we American and Canadian drivers go back and forth between each others country. The provisions agreed to with Mexico have been delayed for many reasons. You´ve all heard them. Security, safety, qualifications, etc. But here´s a BIG surprise!!! I was listening to an interview with THE leader of the Mexican trucking union, as well as quotes from drivers. GET THIS!! THEY DO NOT WANT AMERICAN AND CANADIAN DRIVERS TO ENTER MEXICO UNDER RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT!! NO WAY JOSE!! The reason, voiced from the mouth of the big gun (whose name I don´t remember)in Mexico, broadcast all over the country on prime news: They know that the American and Canadian companies will do it better, and will not ruin, but will DECIMATE the Mexican trucking industry. THEY REALLY CAN´T COMPETE, and they know it! You never heard about any of this in the American press. What I heard was the American government saying they would make concessions, after a lenghty "investigation", of course, and the Mexican president taking a few bows, in Mexico, because he got those toothless concessions, and the furor died out...for now. It was all political. In the long run if the three principal signers of NAFTA ever do get around to honoring thier agreement, there will be MORE opportunity, but not for the driver who lives south of the border.And on top of all of this, there are many, many other supposed agreements they are STILL ironing out in NAFTA. Trucking is not the only issue. The reason I´m mentioning this, is that this topic seems to come up too often from drivers I talk to, and here on the forum and in the trucking magazines, accompanied by all the associated, unfounded fears. I personally would like to quote "Dubya" on this, and just say, if they ever iron out the problem... "Well, bring ´em on"!!
