Canadians Keep Watchful Eye on Nafta Trucking Disputes in U.S.

The Canadian trucking community is watching closely as the United States struggles with domestic opposition to opening the southwestern border to companies and trucks from Mexico hauling international cargo, as stipulated by the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to the president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

"What we’re afraid of is that the feud [with union labor] will spill into the agreements between the U.S. and Canada," says CTA President Allan N. Robison, who is also president and chief executive officer of Reimer Express Lines Ltd. "And although the U.S. Teamsters are not wanting drivers and carriers to run from the U.S. into Mexico because they fear U.S. driving jobs will be taken by the lesser-paid Mexican drivers, the reality is, if we’re short of drivers here in Canada, why shouldn’t we look to Mexico for drivers."

This story appeared in the Oct. 15 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

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