What permits are required to go into Canada? And other related issues.

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by Trucking Dude, Aug 3, 2010.

  1. Trucking Dude

    Trucking Dude Bobtail Member

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    Aug 3, 2010
    Long Beach, CA
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    Hi everyone,

    I own a small trucking company out of California and I have a customer who will soon begin importing goods from Canada. I'm thinking about offering him my services but I don't know what's required of my company and my drivers to go into and come out of Canada in a timely manner. I was hoping that some of you might be able to guide me. My trucks will be empty when they go into British Columbia via Highway 543 (15) and will return loaded via the same route. These are some of the questions I have:

    What paperwork will my trucks need to cross into Canada?
    What paperwork will my trucks need to cross back into the U.S.?
    What paperwork will my drivers need to cross into Canada?
    How long will it take to reach the primary inspection and how long does that inspection take?
    How long do secondary inspections take and what does that inspection comprise of?
    How often does one get secondary inspections?
    How does the FAST system actually work? Would you recommend it and how do I sign up for the system?
    What should I tell my drivers to be particularly aware of and what mundane thing/s should they not take into Canada?
    Will my drivers like being sent into Canada?

    Thank you all in advance.
     
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  3. noble one

    noble one Light Load Member

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    Jun 9, 2009
    Toronto ON. CA.
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    My wife and I run up that road from LA to Vancouver all the time. We are Canadian truckers and we just love that run. We have never had a border crossing problem and it rarely takes over a half hour to get through either way. The one thing you should warn your drivers about is, DON'T BRING WEAPONS INTO CANADA !!!!. They are very severe about this issue. When going back into the states the thing they bother truckers about the most is Food. We don't carry much food across the border and so we avoid problems there. A really important point about cross border trucking is the customs. Make sure your drivers understand the basic customs proceedures and stick to them exactly or you will get stuck at the border for ever and maybe fined also. Since you are going into Canada empty you won't have any customs issues going in anyway. Can't you find someone shipping from Ca to BC ?. Anyway the best of luck to you.
     
  4. Trucking Dude

    Trucking Dude Bobtail Member

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    Aug 3, 2010
    Long Beach, CA
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    Hi noble one. Thanks for the helpful tips. It seems that the big issue will be coming back to the U.S. Now, will the trucks need a special permit to travel around British Columbia?

    Oh, and we have regular runs to Washington State, so my drivers will deliver in Everett and travel the 80+ miles to the border. Thankfully it's not a super-long stretch running on empty.
     
  5. noble one

    noble one Light Load Member

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    Jun 9, 2009
    Toronto ON. CA.
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    I think you will need Canadian authority and fuel tax stuff to truck in Canada. I don't see any issues coming back into the USA. Just make sure your customs stuff is done correctly. Most of our shippers in BC do all the customs stuff for us but sometimes we have to fax the documents to the broker ourselves and get our entry number from them. The USA border does not want to hold you up because there are a lot of trucks coming and going and they haven't time to screw around just for nothing. Oh by the way. Where will you be going in BC?
     
  6. Sweaty

    Sweaty Light Load Member

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    Jun 1, 2008
    Decatur, IN
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    When going to Canada your drivers will need either a passport or a passport card to cross the border. Both ways.

    Make sure they have no unresolved criminal cases of any kind, Canadian customs can pull up everything that American police can pull up. And they can go back over 50 years. Certian crimes will bar them from entry permantly.(What may be considered minor here, may be considered major there.)

    Don't take a spread axle trailer to Canada, they dont like them up there and severly limit their weight allotment. If the axles are more then 187 cm apart they are restricted to a combined weight of BOTH axles COMBINED of 9100 kg. Thats 20,062 pounds for BOTH axles combined, not each axle seperately. (In the states they can be 20,000 pounds each)
     
  7. haulhand

    haulhand Road Train Member

    Also watch the wheel base on your trucks. BC has very strict length laws and doesn't like much over 244 inches
     
  8. lostNfound

    lostNfound Road Train Member

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    Jun 28, 2007
    Home of the Stampede
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    RedRoadrager and Native Dancer Thank this.
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