canada first time

Don't worry. have your passport! No weapons of any kind not even pepper spray. Put your knives in your toolbox, they are now tools not weapons. Be courteous. Every time we go to Canada has been a pleasant trip. Oh, when you pull up to the Canadian crossing, turn the truck off and do NOT set your brakes. They get pissy when you do! Where in Canada are you going? Watch the speed limit.

 

Tell them you have the flu--then let them refuse entry

 

Sounds like every time I go to the nuclear power plant they ask me questions about having weapons and bombs and they want my twic card and my ss number and some Sylvia samples no joke lol then the dogs come smell the truck and they got the people with binoculars reading your lips waiting for you to say bomb or uranium so they can shoot you lol

 

Do not have your tandems all the way up or all the way back (on a 53). Make sure all your paperwork is in order before crossing the border. Make sure you have money for the tolls. While in Canada, follow the law to the letter (do not speed, etc).

 

Another thing to add is to call the customs broker a few hours before you hit the border to be sure the load is cleared to cross. The one time I didn't do this, because it was the middle of the night and the load was actually 3 different shipments, one of the shipments hadn't cleared. So I ended up sitting at the Buffalo crossing for a few hours until the broker got in and we could get it cleared up. Only other time I had a problem was a computer glitch on their end, but I got to spend 20 minutes at the drive thru talkin to a very pretty Canuck gal, so that was ok by me.

 

Just wondering, do any of you ever have to cross the Mexican border?

 

When I went to "Boys Town".

 

That is a good question let's see if anyone does.

 

Since the OP has already been to Canada and back a few times, this is for the benefit of any others that might read the posts and get confused regarding some misinformation.

Americans do not require a passport to enter Canada, but do require one (or other acceptable ID as posted below) for re-entry to the U.S. A birth certificate is not acceptable ID to return to the U.S.

Whether or not you have to go to Immigration is random.

The wheelbase for semi trailers for Interprovincial Operations in Canada is min. 6.25 m (20.5'), max. 12.5 m (41'). Wheelbase is measured from the centre of the drive axles to the centre of the trailer axles.
Heavy Truck Weight and Dimension Limits for Interprovincial Operations in Canada: http://www.comt.ca/english/programs/trucking/MOU 2011.pdf

Also, make sure you have the previous 14 day's logs with you.