Canada

cut your truck back to 62mph get a passport and leave you gun at home. Shipper is responsible for making sure all the paperwork is in order BUT I've heard horror stories about drivers sitting at the border But I havn't been up there in over 20 years and no plans on breaking that trend

 

I run in to Canada a LOT. Love it. You can get your manifest done ahead of time using PARS or ACE, etc... Speed limiters only in Ontario, but that might change. Watch the wheel base running in western provinces. Plenty of web sites as well as OOIDA. OR me?

 

I am sure you need a CVOR.

 

only in Ontario I think?

 

So if you are going to run Canada you need operating authorities for each province you operate. If you don't run Ontario, you don't need a CVOR, but Ontario is where the freight is generally.

 

its 65 not 62

I think you have to have a speed limiter in quebec too..and honestly, the speeding fines are too high to even mess with.

As far as PARS/PAPS (PARS for entering canada, PAPS for entering the USA), I can walk you through that. You'll need to get your own barcodes, and I'm not sure where you'd have to get them, because as a company driver, they would just give them to you, and they have the company name on them..... but other than that, I can walk you through dealing with the customs broker BS if needed. You can even call me if you pm me and ask for the number. It's really complicated the first time, but after that its a cakewalk.

You need to have CTPAT compliant bolt or cable seals to enter the US...they dont always check but it'll be all hell if they check and you dont. They have to be plastic encased, with the number on the bolt and "nut".. the orange JJ Keller ones at any truckstop are fine. You're *supposed* to have just regular bolt seals to enter canada as well....but they really dont seem to give a tire about it. But if customs does mess with you, it WILL have a bolt seal when it leaves the compound....

Really, you ought to have bolt cutters in the truck. I've been told customs doesnt like to see them, but who cares? I've been in a few situations where the customer did not have a way to remove the seals! Once was a multi-pickup load, second pickup wasnt aware that i was even partially loaded....i had to cut the seal with a small hatchet they handed me!

Your cab WILL be searched. Entering the US, it is extremely common for customs to x-ray your trailer and jump in the cab and quickly check for illegal immigrants. It's also common for them to pop the seal on your trailer and take a look for illegal immigrants in there too (usually to save you time when the x-ray line is backed up...be prepared for DIRTY LOOKS from your fellow drivers as you blow past the line!) They don't do that in canada, but they will not hesitate to do a full search of your tractor and trailer.

Be prepared for lumpers. If customs wants to do a full inspection in your trailer, you will be required to unload it yourself, take every box off every pallet to present to the customs officers, or you can pay about $500 for a lumper. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!!!!! Do not expect the customs officers to do a #### thing except destroy your freight....

Make sure something regarding lumpers is in your contracts with these people. If i was doing this as an o/o, i would charge a high detention pay per hour at the border, to include waiting in line at the bridges, and in addition require full customs lumper payment.

The main thing the customs officers are interested in is tax collection and evasion. Most of the questions they will ask involve if you bought anything, and they get pretty annoying about it too, to the point of askign you 10 times in a frikkin row (only on the us side).

The canadians are well known to go through your computer data as well. To save time, limit the amount of blank CDs/DVDs you have in the truck...they will inspect every single one of them to make sure they are blank. Don't keep a lot of crap on your computer. I got inspected, and uhm......i had a lot of blank discs, and a lot of porn, and they spent FOUR HOURS searching my computer alone. What they look for is terrorist activities, beastiality, "sex with pain" (whatever that means), and kiddy porno. They do not care about piracy, at all. I just reccomend you dont have a lot of bs you dont need on the computer, to save time. I am not ############ you. This is true. There is atleast two other members of this forum who have been subject to this inspection. Oh yeah, they take your cell phones too, and hide from you while they do it.

 

Yes, Ontario and Quebec require speed limiters be set to a maximum of 105 km/h.

C-TPAT compliant seals are only required for FAST loads, irrevelant unless the OP is an approved C-TPAT carrier who wants to clear loads through FAST.

Lumpers, that is the first I have ever heard of that. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

are you sure about ctpat? i was officially told by the company that ctpat crap was required on all inbounds.....but what i heard about the outbounds was rumours...but they did give me cheaper seals for it....

edit: but we were a ctpat approved carrier, maybe thats why?

and i had US customs ask me if i had high security seals quite a few times..

I didn't have to get a lumper, the time i got inspected thoroughly i was hauling huge rolls of fiberglass matting, the rolls were sideways and about 96 inches in diameter.....not coming out. But, there were big signs posted with rates, and a full truckload of non palletized was $450, and palletized was not much cheaper...

 

Ya, I thought c-tpat were required when coming back to U.S. when loaded. The only time I didn't use one was when I was empty. And then I'd throw one on if I felt like it. U.S. customs in Detroit can be real buttheads at times.