American Driver, Canadian Company?
Topic 15500 | Page 1
Canada is not near as generous with employing foreigners as the USA. They will only hire foreigners if they can not fill jobs with their own Citizens first. Quite a few hoops to jump through as well. WHAT A CONCEPT HUH!!!!
You mean they don't just allow aliens to take over?! LOL
I figured they were stricter. Just hadn't thought it possible for a non-Canadian resident.
I once met an American who drove for a Canadian company, but he was married to a Canadian woman and had been granted residence on a visa because of his wife. Really good guy, and seemed to be in a blissful way too. But, he's the only one I've met yet. It's true that Canadians will exhaust all Canadian applicants first before considering sponsoring anyone else. They want to look after their own first, naturally.
In America, looking after your own Citizens has somehow been re-classified as Racism!
So, came across the 2016's Best 20 Fleets To Drive For winners and incredibly, 5 of them were Canadian fleets (mainly Ontario) - got me thinking, since I was already hoping Alaska (yes, I know it's USA!), Canada and Mexico would be included in my nation-wide journeys (even checked the passport's expiration date already). I did google a few times for existing conversations on the internet and for some reason, my browser kept crashing when I tried to read them lol
Anyone have any thoughts/comments about an American applying to and driving for a Canadian trucking company? Experiences?!
According to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) there is reciprocity regarding CDL's between the United States and Canada; whether an American can drive for a Canadian company with a US CDL and not obtain a Canadian CDL, I don't know. I'm a dual national and I want to drive in and to Canada which is one of my search parameters for a prospective company. At the moment I'm researching and considering Roehl, Swift and Schneider...if they'll have me!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
came across the 2016's Best 20 Fleets To Drive For
Unfortunately those lists are little more than worthless. They don't mean a thing. This forum, and this industry for that matter, is loaded with happy drivers making great money at jobs they enjoy working for companies that would be considered bottom of the barrel by most of the drivers if you did a poll. And every one of those "20 Best Fleets" will have quite a number of disgruntled drivers who hate the company.
Be one of the best drivers out there and all of the companies you work for will seem like the best company out there. You'll get great miles, you'll be treated well, you'll have great paychecks. Go out there and do a lousy job and every company you work for will seem like a bottom of the barrel company.
Trucking is performance based. Find a company you feel suits you well and be one of their hardest working, safest, most reliable drivers and you'll be quite happy.
The whole "good company vs bad company" debate is one of the most baseless and pointless arguments out there. Ya know who thinks it's really important to choose just the right company? Lousy drivers who aren't getting the miles they expect with the company they're with. Those drivers don't perform at the highest level but also don't take responsibility for that. They always think it's the company's fault that they're not getting their fair share of the miles when in reality the top drivers do indeed get top miles, proper home time, and fair treatment consistently.
Canada and Mexico would be included in my nation-wide journeys
Almost no one goes to Mexico. Almost all of the Mexican freight coming out of the U.S. or Canada gets dropped at the border and taken into Mexico by Mexican companies.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Almost no one goes to Mexico. Almost all of the Mexican freight coming out of the U.S. or Canada gets dropped at the border and taken into Mexico by Mexican companies.
Swift owns Trans-Mex. I haven't asked anyone at Swift, but since they own a Mexican carrier, wouldn't a Swift driver be able to go to Mexico?
Nope. And with the Laws in Mexico, you wouldn't want to. Your family may never see you again!
I believe Mexican Truckers can travel 25 miles into the US.
I don't think I'd ever go into Mexico. Not saying they are true, but I heard some pretty scary stories while in CDL school.
People sleeping in the middle of the road, the federales locking people up for months, and no help for stranded drivers. (Look up the Green Angels. A organization of drivers who help stranded trucks).
Not to mention their roads down there are pretty terrible and only a small percentage are even paved.
Yikes!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
So, came across the 2016's Best 20 Fleets To Drive For winners and incredibly, 5 of them were Canadian fleets (mainly Ontario) - got me thinking, since I was already hoping Alaska (yes, I know it's USA!), Canada and Mexico would be included in my nation-wide journeys (even checked the passport's expiration date already). I did google a few times for existing conversations on the internet and for some reason, my browser kept crashing when I tried to read them lol
Anyone have any thoughts/comments about an American applying to and driving for a Canadian trucking company? Experiences?!