Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

I was reading about the cabotage rules. It's new to me. I'll keep this in mind. I'm going to ask about the class to drive Canada this week and see if I can start doing those runs. I'm curious how much freight they actually have going up north.

 

I'm still sitting at the Decatur terminal. This week has been a rough one and yesterday was officially one week back with Swift Some weeks are better than others so this has been one of the bad ones.

Miles were lacking at just under 2000. I've been to 3 different terminals in one week to get repairs done - Richmond, Ocala and now Decatur. Richmond said they fixed something. Not fixed. Ocala stated that there was a 10 day wait to get my truck looked at. They ordered my parts here in Decatur late in the week. I ran out for my pickup and to do my first stop and t-called the load so I could get my parts installed. They couldn't install them the day I returned to the terminal with the t-call so I waited all day yesterday while they installed the part and made the repairs. Didn't get a load during this time. Got up today, preplan was sent and they pulled it while I was working it. Truck didn't seem repaired anyway. Went back to the shop today and they said the part was never installed. There was some kind of miscommunication and they thought I had left. Whatever that means. I call BS as I was in the driver's lounge all day long listening to the announcements. Either way, I checked in with them during the day and they told me the repairs were completed. So they go to install this part today that should have been installed yesterday and they say it is the wrong part. Now they ordered the part again and I have to wait until tomorrow to get it installed. So I'll probably miss any loads that come through tomorrow morning (Monday) and pickup early while I wait for the install.

I already put a hometime in out in Washington just so I can move out west and run out there. I'll probably just set my PTA for the next day once I get there so I can get moving again and make some miles out in the western states.

 

That makes sense. It's all about freight remaining in the "stream of international commerce".

The North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) indicates that foreign drivers may enter Canada without a permit as business visitors. Drivers may transport goods or passengers to Canada from a NAFTA territory (the U.S. or Mexico), or load and transport goods or passengers from Canada to a NAFTA territory. However, it does not authorize a foreign driver to load and unload domestic goods in Canada. A foreign truck driver must meet other conditions in order to qualify as a business visitor including: (a) the driver must be an American or Mexican citizen; (b) must show that the purpose of the trip is international; (c) that she or she is not seeking to enter the local labour market; (d) that the primary source of remuneration for the work is outside Canada; and (e) that the principle place of business is outside of Canada.


and...


Truck drivers may only transport cargo traveling in the stream of international commerce within the meaning of U.S. immigration law.

The intent of the transportation operator provision of NAFTA is to allow the free movement of goods across the border, an activity that is international in scope, but not to facilitate access to the domestic labor market. Set forth below are examples of the distinction between domestic and international movements.


Permissible movements for the driver:

• Drivers may deliver a shipment from Canada/Mexico to one or more U.S. locations.
• Drivers may then pick up a return shipment from one or more U.S. locations for delivery to Canada/Mexico (generally must be pre-arranged).
• Drivers may deliver a shipment from Canada/Mexico to a U.S. location, deadhead with the same trailer to another U.S. location, and live load that trailer for delivery to Canada/Mexico.
• Drivers may deliver a shipment from Canada/Mexico to a U.S. location, deadhead with the same trailer to another location, drop the empty trailer and pick up a second loaded trailer for delivery to Canada/Mexico.
• Drivers may deliver a shipment from Canada to a U.S. location, pick up the empty trailer and deadhead that trailer to another U.S. location where the trailer is live loaded for delivery to Canada/Mexico.
• Drivers may also drop a loaded trailer from Canada/Mexico at one location in the U.S., and drive an empty tractor to another location to pick up a loaded trailer for transport to Canada/Mexico.
• Relay drivers may drive entirely domestic segments of an international delivery if the driver the delivery meets two conditions: 1) the driver must be employed by the same company as the delivery; and 2) the domestic portion of the trip is a necessary incident to the international nature of the trip. Relaying is permitted in order for drivers to comply with Federal regulations regarding the number of consecutive hours an individual is permitted to drive. They need not enter with the vehicle, but must enter within a reasonable period.
• Drivers may perform activities that are “necessary incidents” of international commerce, such as loading and unloading international cargo.
In each situation above, each trailer must be used only in delivering goods either to or from the United States.

 

Yes avoid that whole area. I try as much as possible.

Im heading west and excited about it. Atlanta to Salem and I replaced my broken XM Radio tonight. Its heaven.

 

I replaced my XM with the basic XM Onyx. I think the problem with the original was with the power wire.

I stopped at a Pilot because I remember seeing it on sale there for $50 last week. When I got to a Pilot the night i was ready to purchase it the price had jumped to $70. Pilots sale was over. There was a Loves 120 miles down the road and I knew it was $50 there. I asked if Pilot would price match since their price went up $20 in one week. No luck. Picked it up down the road at Loves.

This load out to Oregon is taking longer. Along I-80 today in Nebraska the wind was slowing it down a little. I've been on the schedule of starting late and finishing late so after a 655 mile run yesterday I kept today short with only 400 miles. That way I'll get running a little earlier tomorrow.