Mexico Trucker Online

Jimmy Hoffa must be needing a double helping of prunes this morning as word is emerging that Yellow Roadway Corporation is seeking economic relief from the National Master Freight Agreement.

In a mailer sent out yesterday to rank and file members, The Teamsters said;

YRC Worldwide Inc. management has been seeking
economic relief in the National Master Freight Agreement
for several weeks. Following the recent downgrading of
its debt rating by both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s
Investors Service and its impact on the company’s ability
to maintain a line of credit, the Teamsters General
Executive Board today unanimously agreed to permit
representatives from the Teamsters National Freight
Industry Negotiating Committee to enter into discussions
with YRC immediately to determine how to best preserve
Teamsters jobs and protect benefits.

This is certainly not something Jimmy boy can blame on his obsession with Mexican trucks or NAFTA now is it!

Merely another sign of the times and something I’ve been saying for years. The unions continue to cripple our economy, cost us jobs and cause businesses to relocate to southern states or to other countries that are more business friendly. A good case in point is the Big 3 automakers and UAW recent comment that they have no intention of making concessions to help the companies stay afloat.

Happy Thanksgiving Guys and Merry Christmas! You’re gonna need it!

Nuff said!

James Hoffa - Out of touch with reality

Under the usual mantra of maximum pay for minimal work, Teamster’s Union President Jimmy boy Hoffa came out swinging today against the Hour of Service rules published by FMCSA.

Hoffa said the Bush administration is undermining highway safety with its “last-minute regulation” that lets truckers drive longer hours.

Where’s Hoffa been the past 5 years? Last minute regulations?

“We will continue to fight this dangerous midnight rule through the courts and through Congress,” Hoffa said. “We’re currently reviewing our legal options, especially since the court threw out this regulation twice.

“Letting tired truck drivers spend even more time behind the wheel is foolish and dangerous.… I just hope this country can survive the last 61 days of the Bush administration as it goes into a frenzy of gutting public health and safety protections.”

Yep! That’s Hoffa alright! More fear mongering to the public on things he doesn’t like!

He seems to ignore the fact that the HOS rules, which I don’t particularly care for either, have contributed to a decrease in big truck accidents over the past 5 years. Nor does he bother to let people know the rules were not thrown out but were sent back to FMCSA for technical revisions.

Sorry Jimbo! Your precious Teamsters might have to work an extra hour or two a day.

Come to think of it also, Hoffa hasn’t said a word about the recent Independent Review Panels Report on the Mexican Cross Border Program. Could it be that he thinks he has bought a President who will do his bidding?

For the sake of the country and this econom, let’s hope Mr. Hoffa’s dreams are shattered.

In this era of escalating fuel prices, unheard of numbers of truck repossession and a stagnant freight base, some people just don’t get it.

From the AP and The Trucker comes the headline story of
Teamsters picket Washington-based trucking company

AUBURN, Wash. — Picketers are carrying Teamsters strike signs outside Oak Harbor Freight operations in the Pacific Northwest.

Oak Harbor Freight lines, with 1300 employees, of which almost half are Teamsters (550) walked yesterday after talks between management and labor came to an impasse’.

Read the rest of this entry »

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator John H. Hill responds to Jimmy Hoffa

We all know the controversial Mexican Cross Border Program was extended for two more years on August 8, under Federal guidelines concerning Pilot Programs, and as we reported, Jimmy Hoffa immediately showed his no class ignorance by continuing his boring mantra about those unsafe, dangerous and illegal Mexican trucks, a notion we have continually disproved on this site.

Read the rest of this entry »

Has anyone ever wondered why a Senator from a nowhere state like Norht Dakota, would have such a passionate opposition to a Cross Border Truck Program that will not impact his state or constituents in the least? I have. As they say, “follow the money”!

These politicians rarely do anything for the benefit of the people out of the goodness of their heart, and this arrogant little peckerwood is no exception.

So what is his price to jump on the Teamster’s bandwagon? About $35,000.00, at least!

In 2006, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was the ninth largest contributor to Byron Dorgan PAC, known as the Great Plains Leadership Fund, contributing $20,000.00. Before 2006, there were few donations from the Teamsters listed.

In 2008, The Teamster’s have thus far contributed $15,000.00to his Political Action Committee. All in all, not a lot of money within the scheme of things, but the question arises why would the Teamster’s even bother to contribute to a little known Senator from a very unpopulous state? The total contributions to Dorgan by the Teamsters over the course of his career has been only $46,000.00, $35,000.00 of it occurring coincidentally with the ramping of the debate over the Mexican Cross Border Program.

But it goes further than that. This little pissant isn’t lily pure and he certainly is not one to have the right to call a Cabinet Secretary “arrogant”!

Anyone remember the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal of a couple of years back? Well, apparently Senator Byron Dorgan was butthole buddies with Mr. Abramoff until he had an “epiphany”and decided he’d better rid himself of the “contributions” muy pronto.

There are related stories to Byron Dorgans activities regarding his association with Abramoff and what he did with the more than $65,000.00 he received to help Abramoff screw American Indian tribes,including the Coushattas of Louisiana and others.

Interesting reading indeed! And we have to put up with this fool for another 2 years?

The Mexican Cross Border program was in the news the entire week after John Hill, administrator of FMCSA indicated the program might need to be extended to provide more accurate statistics. This brought out the expected firestorm from the opponents and bloggers with no connection to the trucking industry.

First out of the chute of course, was Jimbo Hoffa, continuing to confuse the issue and subvert the facts, this time with a talking head from a Washington think tank who shares Or was paid to share Hoffa’s views. If you have the stomach, you can read the opinions here.

Preceding Hoffa’s dog and pony affair, Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, held a news conference surrounded by leaders of manufacturing and agriculture. Her news conference was to make the point of the harm that would come from withdrawing from the cross border program.

OOIDA executive vice president Todd Spencer was quoted as saying he found Peters comments “humorous” and equated it to “economic fear mongering”. I find it ironic that Spencer uses this particular phrase to describe what he and his organization has been engaging in for the past year or longer.

Ambush on Capitol Hill

Tuesday, March 11, a hearing was held on Capitol Hill by what had been billed as the FULL Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee. In reality, the hearing was conducted by an arrogant and impotent little prick by the name of Senator Byron Dorgan (D) ND. He was joined by Senator Mark Pryor (D) AR whose main interest seemed to be in a bill he introduced concerning secure CDL’s and whether or not the Mexican participants would be paying Arkansas’ “Ad Volorum Tax”. Secretary Peters assured him that all Mexican trucks paid the same taxes as their American counterparts.

Senator Dorgan went on the attack against Secretary Peters who held here own well against this onslaught of criticism and sarcastic comment from the little man.

The basis for the continuance of the program hinges on the interpretation of the word “establish”, as we pointed out the day the amendment was passed. Using the “plain language meaning”, Secretary Peters believes she has the law on her side in continuing the program.

We agree. It would seem that if they really wanted to stop this program, more specific language, such as “nor implement” or “establish or continue to conduct”, would have been used. English language we all understand.

Of course, Dorgan, being his sarcastic and arrogant self, keep accusing Peters of arrogance and flaunting the law.

English proficiency was brought into play and the issue of testing English proficiency was examined. When it was brought up that one of the tests was identifying 4 traffic control signs, and the drivers are allowed to give the answer in English or Spanish, the little man zeroed in on this trying to prevent Peters from answering the question fully. The truth of the matter is, the rest of the “test” is questions and answers in English.

The also brought up Trinity Industries once again, and for the life of me, I cannot come up with the numbers that the opposition uses. What everyone seems to overlook is the fact that Trinity Industries de Mexico is a wholly owned subsidiary of Trinity Industries of Dallas Texas. Reading the inspection reports in question, the trailer inspected and found to have faults were AMERICAN REGISTERED, being brought to the Trinity Industries terminal in Eagle Pass Texas. It would seem that the Eagle Pass maintenance facility was negligent in maintaining the trailers to be pulled by American trucks. But of course, this was not mentioned.

And of course that pathetic little man Senator Dorgan, threatened Ms Peters with undisclosed “consequences”, but the truth is, there isn’t much can be done.

Even if the GOA finds fault, it is doubtful that the Attorney General would bring charges. And if he did, President Bush would pardon her at the end of his term. And exercise in futility.

Better to wait to see what the 9th Circuit has to say about this.. Whatever the result, it is assured the decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court, which probably will refuse to hear the case. But before this happens, the Cross Border Program will be at an end, and in all likelihood, the border will be open as it should be.

Monday, March 10, The Office of Inspector General for the DOT released another interim report. Contrary to what many think, it is positive towards the progress that FMCSA has made in correcting earlier deficiencies.

Jimmy Hoffa of course disagrees. Despite the fact that OIG states that the issues with databases, and other concerns have been corrected, Jimbo continues to pursue his agenda of protectionism and lies.

Funny thing is, I just returned from a trip to Boston and New York City, a bastion of Teamster shops and I have yet to see one of Hoffa’s “Fire Mary Peters” decals or bumper stickers anywhere.

Throughout this joke of a hearing, Mary Peters conducted herself with class and grace.

Oh, and did I mention the little girl Hoffa put before the commission with the sob story, unsubstantiated of course, about losing family members to a big bad “unsafe”, “illegal” Mexican truck! These assklowns are pulling out all the stops!