No pass for PASA: OOIDA asking FMCSA for complete, accurate data on approved Mexican trucks

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GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for complete data on approved Mexican trucks, after refuting the FMCSA claims that Mexican trucks are safer than US trucks. OOIDA has requested that FMCSA provide explanations as to why certain carriers have been given approval to enter the US when little or no data is available to demonstrate how they have fully complied with all applicable laws on safety and security, according to the association. The request was included in the associations comments posted to the FMCSA public notice in the Federal Register. The notice discloses several Mexico-domiciled motor carriers that have passed a Pre-Authority Safety Audit (PASA).

OOIDA officials say the notice only shows whether certain Mexican motor carriers passed certain categories, but nothing about the data relied upon to make those determinations.

Its like they are still making it up as they go along. They just go ahead and say it passes, therefore its supposed to be accepted as true, says OOIDA executive vice-president, Todd Spencer

Since OOIDA reps found no specifics available in the public notice, the association then reviewed FMCSAs SafetStat database and found several red flags on the companies receiving a go from PASA.

OOIDA officials say they found an example of one approved carrier, Avomex International, which shows a pattern of tolerance for Hours-of-Service violations by its drivers. During 172 inspections conducted between Sept. 21, 2006, and Sept. 21, 2007, the company was cited for 206 violations, OOIDA says.

And that gets an approved PASA? asked Spencer. This is just one of several examples we found that no authority should be granted to any Mexican motor carriers.

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