(EFE) .- Transporters on the northern border of Mexico said Monday that the decision of President Donald Trump to reactivate the demand for a basic domain of English for foreign drivers who circulate through US territory could allow greater professionalization of the sector despite the possible barriers it will generate.
“This of English has always been a requirement in international crosses, both for customs and the Department of Transportation (DOT). It had simply relaxed,” said Jorge Puga Uchoa, vice president of the Coalition of Transporters of Ciudad Juárez.
“There in the United States, if you walk along the roads, they demand not only to speak English, but to be bilingual. This will force the Spanish labor in general to be trained more,” Puga said.
The executive order signed by Trump at the end of April recalls that the Federal Law requires that, to operate a commercial vehicle, the driver must “read and speak English enough to talk with the general public, understand the traffic signals in English, respond to official requests and make annotations in reports and records”.
Lee: Trump says that sending troops saved Los Angeles from being ‘completely destroyed’
By justifying the decision, the White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, stressed that “there are many communication problems of truckers with both federal authorities and local authorities, which obviously represents a risk to public safety”
“Therefore, we are going to make sure that all our truckers, which are the backbone of our economy, speak English. It is a policy of common sense,” Leavitt said.
Although the measure could complicate those who work irregularly, Puga believes that in the long run it will generate order: “We in Mexico had a shortage of drivers because many went to the United States. With this policy, some could return, which would be a benefit for our companies.”
Ciudad Juárez, key crossing in bilateral trade
Ciudad Juárez, border with El Paso (Texas), is one of the most busy crosses with thousands of Mexican carriers who pass daily to the US side.
According to figures from the National Association of Importers and Exporters of the Mexican Republic (Anier), only the city of about 1.5 million inhabitants exports approximately 260 million dollars in goods to the United States.
The norm has generated opinions divided in region. While some operators see in it an “additional barrier” to work on the other side of the border, others ensure that it could have positive effects when raising the level of preparation of the guild.
This was indicated by Rosendo Carlos, an operator with experience in commerce on both sides of the border, he considered that the measure can be an incentive.
LEE: EU performs the first arrests in the border military areas of New Mexico and Texas
“In part, I say that it benefits, because one is preparing a little more. Apart, you go to a country where English is required,” Carlos said in an interview with Efe, after emphasizing that speaking English has facilitated communication in places where no one speaks Spanish, although he acknowledges that in many wineries you can still work without dominating the language.
Likewise, Trump’s order also requires that commercial driver permits issued by the relevant state agencies be reviewed to identify unusual patterns or numbers or other irregularities in its issuance and take the necessary measures to improve the effectiveness of the control protocols.
Follow us on Google News to always keep you informed
