Sep 10 2007
Are Mexican trucks really dangerous?
You decide.
Mexico Dynamite Truck Explosion Kills 34
A dynamite-laden truck exploded after colliding with another vehicle on a busy highway in northern Mexico’s coal country, killing at least 34 people, including three reporters at the scene, state and federal officials said.
Authorities said the two vehicles crashed into each other Sunday evening, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers as well as a small army of police, soldiers, emergency officials and journalists.
Shortly after the crowd arrived, the wreckage caught fire, and the dynamite exploded, sending a ball of fire into the sky that consumed nearby cars and left a 10-by-40 foot crater in the concrete, said Maximo Alberto Neri Lopez, a federal police official.
The explosion raised further questions about the safety of Mexican trucks.
This weekend, Mexico began sending its first tractor-trailers across U.S. territory under a long-delayed, NAFTA-mandated program. Before, Mexican trucks were limited to 25-mile zone along the border.
Many in the U.S. fought the change, arguing that Mexican trucks are unsafe.
In the interest of full disclosure, bear this in mind.
Randy Grider, editor of Truckers News magazine, however, said Mexican trucks with hazardous materials aren’t included in the new program.
“I think it would be a very long time before the border would open to hazardous loads,” he said
Very likely true. But still, I am not surprised people wonder….
2 Responses to “Are Mexican trucks really dangerous?”
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My brother and some of his friends who are truckers in Texas are not happy about these Mexican trucks on our roads. Having seen a few in the past, they are mostly held together with bubble gum and rubber bands. How are we to know what they are hauling if we can’t check them? They could have 10 boxes loaded in by the back door and then have who knows what on the rest of the load.
Are they going to have to obey the same rules of the road as the drivers here? Are they going to have those pesky little road books filled out correctly and only drive for the alotted amount of time and no more. Are they going to have to pull in at the weigh stations and follow the rules there? My brother got sighted last week for being 3 minutes over his 8 hours. Traffic or weather are not a reason.
I have seen some the rules that pertain to a lot of this. What about the road inspectors? Are they going to do the random highway checks like they do on everyone here?
What is going to happen when they get stopped for speeding or other violations by PD/Troopers?
I have a lot of questions an I am not seeing the answers. I guess only time and incidents will tell. I hope I don’t see that the laws don’t apply to them. I will be very upset if I see that in print anywhere or hear it out of some lib mouth.
Karl,
I forgot to mention in the above post. What about the passports? Are these truckers going to have to have passports? Since we have to have them now will they? Ok they can come in but can they go out with out a passport as we would be required to do?
I think there are to many unanswered questions. But that will not bother any of the lame ones ones on the hill.