| NAFTA is a treaty agreement that can be described | | | | border fence and increased border security have |
| as slightly controversial. One of the area where | | | | further complicated the issue. |
| NAFTA has had an affect is on the commercial | | | | Mexico does not have anywhere near the safety |
| trucking industry | | | | regulations of the U.S. trucking industry, and if Mexican |
| In 1994, the United States, Canada, and Mexico signed | | | | truckers were to be allowed on U.S. highways, higher |
| the North American Free Trade Agreement known as | | | | insurance rates are one of the predicted impacts of |
| NAFTA. This agreement was intended to encourage | | | | this on the trucking industry. Insurance rates have been |
| the free flow of trade between the countries of North | | | | steadily climbing as the result of increased liability |
| America, and was viewed and touted as a wonderful | | | | demands and further increases would create a severe |
| boost to the economy of all three countries. In the | | | | hazard on an industry already reeling from the impact |
| years since the agreement was signed, problems | | | | of increased fuel costs. |
| were encountered that were not carefully thought | | | | American truckers see the NAFTA tradeoff as |
| through or ignored by the drafters of the agreement. | | | | opening up lucrative and already highly competitive |
| Many of these problems directly relate to the trucking | | | | American markets to Mexican truckers who will be |
| industry. The primary cause of concern was the | | | | able to travel freely on one of the best maintained and |
| provisions in the agreement that would allow the trucks | | | | extensive highway system in the world. In return, |
| of each of the signatory countries to travel freely upon | | | | American truckers get the chance to travel on poorly |
| the highways of each other's countries. The main bone | | | | maintained and inadequate Mexican highways to visit |
| of contention has been the overall conditions and | | | | markets that provide considerably less income |
| standards in the Mexican trucking industry, and the | | | | potential than what they have in their own backyards. |
| quality of Mexican highways. The 67,000 member | | | | It does not appear to be a very good deal. |
| strong Owner-Operator Independent Drivers | | | | The trucking industry faces many challenges of its |
| Association (ODIDA) has been outspoken in it | | | | own today, and the prospect of having it hurt even |
| opposition to free access being granted to Mexican | | | | more by unfair foreign competition is extremely |
| drivers. | | | | disturbing to truckers. The future of NAFTA and the |
| In 2003, there was court ordered Environmental Impact | | | | decisions that will be made in the future by the |
| Reports done on the effect of Mexican drivers using | | | | Congress concerning its implementation are of great |
| U.S Highways. The courts ruled that the EIR was | | | | concern to everyone in the industry, and also to |
| inadequate, and further studies needed to be done. | | | | everyone who depends on the industry to meet their |
| Recent efforts to control the influx of illegal immigration | | | | transportation needs. |
| between Mexico and the United States, and talk of a | | | | Carl Stinson is with - a directory of trucking companies. |