Cutting Through Canada

You need a passport, registration with the provinces, and a customs bond.

 

The short answer is "no," commercial transport can't just "cut through" another country. You have to clear customs and your load will have to travel "in bond" as it is returning to the U.S. or else it would have to be imported into Canada and then imported back into the U.S.

 

I believe you need a form called an In-Bond. Something like that. When I first got on the Canada fleet for Swift they gave me a welcome packet, I just remember one sentence about using In-Bond paperwork, a mistake on the papers, the fines start at $100,000 for the driver. Right then I said I will only do loads going into and out of Canada not cutting through.

 

If the carrier is a Canada Customs Bonded Carrier fill out the paperwork, seal the trailer, the check the seals at the border in and out. Caution: no no no citrus fruit is ever allowed into the US from Canada, not even in your lunchbox. Not worth cutting across unless the carrier has the things in place.

 

With a bit of route planning you can run it across country I have done it in the past , lots of secondary roads small towns and time consuming. we really need a East / West highway at the North part of this country

Here is what will get you into Maine from Watertown according to TRUCK MILES

Go North 112.2 miles on US-11 in NY to Jct US-11 & NY-24 by MALONE NY 2:02
Go East 11.4 miles on NY-24 in NY to Jct NY-24 & NY-190 by CHATEAUGAY NY 2:20
Go East 32.2 miles on NY-190 in NY to Jct NY-190 & NY-374 by MORRISONVILLE NY 3:15
Go East 3.8 miles on NY-374 in NY to Jct NY-374 & I-87 at PLATTSBURGH NY 3:20
Go North 1.8 miles on I-87 in NY to Jct I-87 & NY-314, Exit 39, by CUMBERLAND HEAD NY 3:22
Go East 3.9 miles on NY-314 in NY to Jct NY-314 & TOLL FERRY by CUMBERLAND HEAD NY 3:29
Go East 0.9 miles on TOLL FERRY in NY to TOLL FERRY NY-VT BORD 3:32
Go East 1.1 miles on TOLL FERRY in VT to Jct TOLL FERRY & VT-314 by CUMBERLAND HEAD NY 3:37
Go West 2.5 miles on VT-314 in VT to Jct VT-314 & US-2 by CUMBERLAND HEAD NY 3:40
Go South 10.5 miles on US-2 in VT to Jct US-2 & I-89 by MILTON VT 3:53
Go South 45.7 miles on I-89 in VT to Jct I-89 & US-2, Exit 8, by MONTPELIER VT 4:43
Go East 33.0 miles on US-2 in VT to Jct US-2 & US-2 B by ST JOHNSBURY VT 5:23
Go East 4.4 miles on US-2 B in VT to Jct US-2 B & MAIN at ST JOHNSBURY VT 5:29
Go North 0.1 miles on MAIN in VT to Jct MAIN & US-2 at ST JOHNSBURY VT 5:29
Go West 0.3 miles on US-2 in VT to Jct US-2 & US-5 at ST JOHNSBURY VT 5:30
Go North 0.1 miles on US-5 in VT to Jct US-5 & US-2 at ST JOHNSBURY VT 5:30
Go East 27.7 miles on US-2 in VT to US-2 NH-VT BORDER 6:03
Go East 35.8 miles on US-2 in NH to US-2 ME-NH BORDER 6:46 run time

 

Just bum rush the Canadian customs agents. They won't shoot you, just strongly object to your presence in their country.

 

Just make sure you say "eh" and "sorry" a lot and you don't need any of that other paperwork. When returning to the us ... I don't know talk about how great the usa is or something ...

 

It use to be so easy to run loads that way. Detroit to Buffalo was much shorter on the north side of the lake. This was a major route for auto parts.