Canada regulations

Which rules and regulations do you want to know? There are quite a lot ....

Spread axles are ok in ON, QC, and east. Manitoba and west see the spread as a single axle and the weight limit is 9100 kg.

 

I suppose if the spread is under a certain distance, it would be considered a tandem axle and allowed the higher weight limit. I don't know what that distance is. Either that or it was a very light load. Also out west they don't like the tractor to be longer than 244" I believe ... this seems to be of varying opinions ... I know for sure Ontario lets you go up to 282" now IF you are using some kind of APU/anti idling device. Oh, and if your truck is 2005 or older you can be over 244" also ....

How about our HOS?

Start your day at say, 6 am.
14 hours maximum on duty time.
13 hours maximum driving time.
16 hour window to complete that work.
you may take blocks of time sleeper/off duty of 30 min. minimum during the day and add them up, essentially letting you do 2 hours off during the day and 8 off at night. The night break must be at least 8 hours. You could do 0.5 off during the day ant 9.5 night rest. 1.0 off during the day 9.0 off at night.

70 hours/7 days. 24 consecutive hours at least every 14 days. Reset is 36 hours long, use it as much as you want. No requirement for a break in the middle of your shift.

And don't try to F with our scales. If they catch you with a false log, the penalty is a bunch of money AND 72 hours OOS. They have been known to call the truck stop to see what time you actually fueled, and they are also able to see what time you crossed Canada customs and at which border. You will probably only get that treatment if you give them attitude though.

Our scales don't say open/closed. They have lights on top and when they are flashing, you go in. Lots of the scales in Ontario now are being turned into super coops and are pretty much staffed almost all the time.

Oh yeah, if they see american plates, they will probably check to see if you have your speed governed at 65 mph (105 kph). Minimum fine is I think $250, maximum fine is $20,000. That one makes a lot of sense......

If you are going into any of the big cities, I'm talking Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, try to get to your delivery at night. Rush hour starts in Toronto at about 6 am and lasts until 10:30. Starts again at 3 or so and ends at 7:30.

Know where the truck stops are along your route before you come here. We don't have big billboards to tell you where they are. They also fill up when the sun goes down.

(I shouldn't say this one, but) Buy your fuel in the US before you get here. If you fuel here, you will be charged our high sales tax (ON is 13%) and as a US carrier I don't think you can get it back. Remember our fuel may look inexpensive, but remember there are 3.785 of our Litres to your 1 gallon. Our fuel tax is also very high. Don't chance running out of fuel if you are going a long distance, though. Going out west the fuel stops are farther in between. The only major chain (also in USA) we have here is Flying J. There is only 1 TA. No Love's, No Petro, the only Pilot was recently changed into a FJ. Husky is also a chain all the way across and they are decent. Their shower program is second to none. 1 point per litre, shower is 50 points, towel is 50 points, points never expire.

What else you want to know?

 

They do not care who you are or where you are from. If your truck is over I think 26,000 GVWR, it must be set to be governed at 65 mph. If you think they will let you slide with 66, you might as well put it at 127. It is crap but that is the rules they make. That is why we have POed 4 wheelers as trucks do the 100 mile passes. Totally way safer.

 

And the reason they will know this is you're required to have 14 days logs with you.

 

Most Americans use Cycle 1 and the cycle used must be noted on the log as well as the the license plate numbers of the truck and trailer . The Xata e-logs I used had nothing to select a cycle . I enter a note stating cycle 1 .
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/national_safety_code/pdf/HOS_Service_Rules.pdf

 

Ontario is the only province requiring 105 kph governor? My truck is governed at 110. I had heard the Ontario speed governor was thrown out in court?

Yes fuel is expensive. Just came up out of North Dakota through Saskatchewan to get to Calgary. Paid about $4.65 per gallon U.S. in SK Flying Junk.

OK here's my stupid question of the day:

Company says we must have a legal U.S. 10 hour break before coming back south across the border.

But they also say we are allowed to run Canadian hours as soon as we cross north. Like if we are about to run out of U.S. hours and cross over and gain 2 more legal hours we can run it.

My question is how is that not a violation when a Canadian 8 plus 4 30 minutes break would be legal but illegal in the US.

It's like they're telling us 'you can break some US rules but not others'

Edit, also heard that some Americans are being turned around at the border because they have American dirt on the truck and not allowed to contaminate Canada lol. Like a manmade line on a map makes the dirt on one side different than the dirt on the other side lol