Some of us were certain that it would put us out of jobs. I was worried that I would not be able to get home on the weekends as I had in the past, and still others were opposed thinking their party time in Laredo would be curtailed.

None of this happened.

Now, for your information, and I wish you had expounded on the "illegal activities", because in truth, the "illegal activities" they were fired for was demanding and suing for equal wages, and not the 18 cents per mile that Steve Russell was paying them. Mexicans are far from stupid. Even the illegal ones know what a job pays and when they are getting screwed.

There is nothing racial or misplaced about my comments in this article. Every vehicle I have seen and photographed have been AMERICAN carriers driven by AMERICAN drivers! These are facts.

Why do you think the State of Texas came up with the program "Texas Hold Em" permitting revocation for life of a CDL from someone convicted of hauling contraband? This law would not have been needed if it was indeed Mexican drivers hauling the shit into the country. It would have no effect on them.

The facts are concerning American drivers going into Mexico. If their companies are part of the cross border program, they are given the option to go. After all, there are more drivers available than there are American trucks in the program.

Where have you been? Not up to American DOT standards? Trucks that average age is 5 years old or newer? And the deluge of 2007-2009 Kenworth T-660's hitting the dealers and the roads by fleets upgrading their equipment?

The state of Mexican trucking cannot be gauged by the cross border drayage trucks anymore than the American trucking industry can be assessed by looking at the junk trucks hauling out of our ports and rail heads around the country.

And as far as traffic laws in the two countries? There is very little difference. The most glaring difference is that right turns on red are never permitted unless there is a signal indicating otherwise.

Take care and thanks for the comment.

So, your comments about American truckers are misplaced, and I might say inaccurate as well as downright racial. The facts are, that not many American truck drivers go into Mexico, especailly company drivers. Also, many Mexican trucks down there at this date, are not in the best of safe/operable condition. The guys simply can't afford to keep them up to American DOT standards. So they have told me. Those who can, do not share the financial burden of families, making it slightly easier for them to afford repairs. The pay for both American and Mexican truckers is abysmal. In most cases American Company drivers do not go into Mexico, due to language/law situations being different for each country in ordrer to run within rewspective laws.

Perhaps in the past you saw this. You will get no argument from me on that point. But that was the past, this is now!

One of the benefits of the Cross Border Program was the requirement that States have static scales and inspection facilities at all commercial border crossings and for them to be in operation during the same hours the POE was open.

This was accomplished, especially in Texas. The benefit of this is that each and every one of the trucks that bring the trailers across the border were forced to get thier shit together.

You do not see the bald tires, something I have never seen. Nor trucks with excessive smoke. You also have to keep in mind these trucks travel at the most, 20 miles round trip. They are doing what they were bought to do.

Texas DPS has done and is doing, an excellent job of weeding out the junk.

CANACAR recently got into the mix suggesting their members who have a drayage operation, upgrade the equipment used. Two of those that complied, were GOnzalez and Trucksa.

You second paragraph is particularly interesting. I have also seen the same thing. All over the United States. Every week when I am on the road. So you see? Mexican truckers ain't a damned bit different from you and I!

Your final paragrpah about the smuggling of humans.They try it, they get caught. Out Border Patrol ain't no fools and the K-9's are extremely smart animals.

The illegals cross on foot. Are put in a safe house on the US and then put onto some type of conveyance eventually for the trip to the interior.

Have you noticed, or even paid attention that all the truckers caught hauling illegals are American, Canadian or Mexican American drivers?

This has been going on for decades. It hasn't anything to do the cross border program, drayage trucks.

What we need is a common sense and logical immigration reform and a mechanism to allow guest workers into the country.

Because historically, and there is proof of this wherever you care to look. Let them in and do the work that we are too damn lazy to do. They will return home. For holidays and family events. When they obtain their goals, they are gone forever.

The big misconception is the "Path to Citizenship". The majority of Mexicans have no desire for that.

Before the craziness of post 9/11, when the fear mongers started trying to scare the hell out of us, and use that fear to promote their anti Mexican agenda, workers came and went. They caused no problems and wanted no problems.

And now, they are not the problem some would have you believe.

But thanks for your intelligent and well written comment. It is appreciated.

I have seen the way Mexican truckers drive, running red lights, changing lanes without signaling, turning right turns at red stop lights without even stopping, weaving in and out of lanes with little regard for the safety of others.

You say Mexican trucks are not smuggling drugs? You may be right. There's a lot more money to be made smuggling humans across the border.

The US should start providing adequate care and treatment for addicts, and adequate opportunity for its own population, so that folks wouldn't be so easily tempted into the drug trade and culture. (Oops, am I suggesting something socialistic, like what we made them poor ignorant Mexicans get rid of ???) As long as massive demand exists in the US, and as long as profits are inflated by illegality, the supply will be found somewhere.

We need to do some self-examination here, rather than being so quick to blame the neighbors for all our problems.