Going Into Canada

This might be a little off the wall question. But for those of you that have been into Canada, you know what kind of a mess it can be.

I have only been there once, through New York. And I was driving a bus. I happen to notice where I went through, there was a car lane, a bus lane, and a truck lane. Which was totally confusing with my first time.

I have been to Detroit many times, but I have never crossed into Canada from there.

But something I have noticed at both places. The truck lane was ALWAYS backed up. Usually backed up a lot.

The last time I was in Detroit, I counted 25 trucks on the turn off to go across the bridge.

I am sure every truck has to be searched. And the paperwork stuff a driver has to go through.

With Celadon, I have been told, I will more than likely go into Canada on a regular basis. And I am sure Celadon is not the only company that goes into Canad either. I am sure Swift, Prime, Schneider, and many others go there too.

For all the drivers that have been to Canada a few times. Can you please "show" us the ropes on getting into and out of Canada. Without wanting to shoot somebody that is.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

I would like to know too as Roehl will be sending me to Canada via Detroit from time to time.

Six

So yeah, I'm resurrecting this thread because I'll be heading in to Canada for my first time Tuesday morning. Should I be nervous? What kinds of questions will I be asked? Should I shave my beard so I don't look like I just came from a cave in Afghanistan?

So yeah, I'm resurrecting this thread because I'll be heading in to Canada for my first time Tuesday morning. Should I be nervous? What kinds of questions will I be asked? Should I shave my beard so I don't look like I just came from a cave in Afghanistan?

I would be interested to know people's experience on this too... I have never left the USA myself... not even on personal travel. planning to do a cruise in december and that'll be the closest I have come to leaving the usa... technically the boat makes 2 port in Mexico...

Should I be nervous?

What kinds of questions will I be asked?

Should I shave my beard so I don't look like I just came from a cave in Afghanistan?

Nervous - only if you have a DUI or DWI conviction. If not, it's probably going to be a cake walk.

Questions - "have you ever been convicted of driving while impaired or under the influence?" They will most likely ask you for the appropriate shipping and duty documents including your passport. Just have them handy.

Beard - as long as you're clean and well groomed it won't matter. Hijab or Taqiyah set off Prime Minister Harper, and as an election has just been declared he's going to try to act tough on "Terrorist Crime" again. This means the CBSA may be on the lookout for Those Darn Muslims - coming this Fall on NBC! As far as the PM is concerned terrorists are defined as people being muslim in public. How Muslimy do you look?

All joking aside, you should be fine. A lot of trade goes across the border between the USA and Canada. Canada used to be the USA's largest trade partner. The USA only imports more goods by dollar value from China now. Exports and imports between Canada and the USA is quite large and it somewhat in balance with the USA importing a bit more than it exports to Canada. What this means is that cross border traffic is not some new frontier it's been happening for centuries. Just have a clean truck and appearance, your paperwork in order, and you'll be fine. The only wrinkle may be a DUI or DWI, so if you don't have a conviction or charge they'll just let you in.

If you have a choice between Detroit->Windsor, or Port Huron -> Sarnia for your crossing, I'd recommend Port Huron. There is a lot less congestion there, and the border people just seem nicer.

CBSA = Canada Border Security Agency, the Canadian equivalent of CBP (Customs and Border Patrol). The CBSA agents are armed, but they want to shoot you a lot less than the CBP does.

I should mention that I've only crossed the border in a POV, box truck, or truck with a small cargo trailer - all containing personal items. That said, the Port Huron crossing is my preferred as the agents on both sides seem nicer, and the crossing is not as congested.

Thanks for the info Michael! I'll be crossing in western North Dakota near Minot, no choice in the matter.

No DUIs or anything, but I did have a marijuana possession 6 years ago, and a domestic issue last year which was plead down to disturbing the peace (no injuries or physical harm or anything like that). And I'm on unsupervised probation for that, which they said basically means just don't get in trouble again. Will I have anything to worry about there?

As far as appearances, I'll make sure to organize the truck tonight. I don't think I look too "Muslimy," but then again I probably look just as Muslimy as the Chattanooga guy... I have a trucker beard about an inch long, and my skin is especially dark now because of tarping all summer, but I also have a shaved head and Christian items around my neck and in the truck. So I might be a confusing anomaly for them. They won't know what to make of me.

I'll just tell the officer in my best accent impersonation, "You see my friend, I'm like you! Hail America! Go Yankees!" Lol maybe not.

The company does a lot of Canadian ops so I'm sure the paperwork will be fine. I guess my biggest concern is that they'll just give me a hard time personally.

Oh and I also have one of those police-style whip-out batons in my toolbox, I use it as a tire thumper, and the handle end has a glass-breaking tip in case of emergency. Will they call that a weapon and confiscate it? If that's the case, they may as well confiscate my hammer too. And my screwdrivers, I could stab someone with those. Heck, just about any tool could be used as a weapon. And the truck, well there's the deadliest weapon of all, they'd better take that!

Hmmm, you should really investigate your past a bit, you are inadmissible to Canada if you've committed or been convicted of a crime in the past 10 years. That's something that's deemed a crime in Canada and not a misdemeanor in the original jurisdiction. You and your company should check this out before you get to the border.

Inadmissibility To Canada

Oh, and a baton is prohibited if it is spring loaded. Guns are prohibited at the border, just don't bring 'em no 2nd Amendment argument is going to work there - just don't. Knives are also deemed weapons, but they're in the same categories as in the USA. If it has a blade < 3 inches fine. If it's a folding knife it better not have a spring or be a butterfly type.

So Persian, how'd it go?

Well I typed out a big long detailed explanation, but my phone deleted it. Short version: I got in but barely, I ran hard in Canada for 2 days, and came back today. I'm taking a restart tomorrow so maybe I'll try to retype the whole story then.