The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) filed a petition Friday asking for a review of the Department of Transportation's cross-border trucking program and a stay on the program pending that review
in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
OOIDA contends the DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration did not follow congressional directives and legal requirements.
"We believe we have a strong case against what is being called a pilot program, but is actually a stealthily implemented, pre-ordained plan to fully open our highways to Mexican trucks. This is all done in the name of global economics and cheap labor," said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA.
Last week, Spencer stood alongside several members of the U.S. House of Representatives urging members of the Senate to pick up the work started by the House back in July. The House approved an amendment to it's transportation funding bill from Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, to prohibit the use of federal funds to implement the administration's pilot program to allow Mexican-domiciled trucks into the United States.
The Senate has not taken any action yet on the matter, but the Senate Transportation Appropriations bill is expected to be on the Senate floor next week. The complete filing documents may be found on the OOIDA web site at www.ooida.com.