I Couldn’t Make This Up If I Tried!

As most of you know there have been a lot of troubles where I drive. After my run this evening, I was called into the supervisors office for a meeting. Not sure where this was go I was just about ready for anything. However, when I thought I was ready for anything I was floored. I was told I was chosen to make 2 trips to British Columbia in August. A total of 6000 miles. This can’t be real!

That will be about 6000 miles each trip. They might have the ELDs installed by then

BC is some beautiful country. I have driven the Alaska byway 4 times I am jealous take it and enjoy it.

Hmmmm.

Make SURE they have all the required paperwork to get across the border. Bring your PASSPORT or passport card. You can get hung up on the border for quite awhile, if all your paperwork isn't in order.

Do they have a load BACK INTO the US from Canada, or are they deadheading you back across the border?

It would be helpful to have a pretty recent INSPECTION STICKER on both tractor & trailer, to avoid additional scrutiny during border transits.

Big companies (and even smaller ones) that DO A LOT of cross-border loads, are known to CBP on both sides, and get through pretty fast. Small ones that grab a load thinking it's quick easy $$, and don't do THEIR HOMEWORK ahead of time - can find themselves in a huge delay at the border (or even denied entry - Canada can be a PITA when they want to).

If you get delayed for some reason, keep a COOL HEAD and attitude, be polite and ask exactly what you need to get the load moved.

The reason I warn of this - is if your company can willingly/knowingly send trucks out in violation of FMCSA ELD Regs, it just makes me wonder where else they might fall short on stuff like cross border loads. What should be a quick and easy, in and out, can turn into days of delays - making a long profitable run (for the driver) into sitting without pay waiting for other people up the food chain to get their act together.

Take NOTES of what hangs you up (if there are any), and make sure your second run has these shortcomings taken care of ahead of time.

I'm really interested in hearing how this run goes for you - as a measure of how well prepared your company is to do these kinds of loads.

Canadian HOS rules are similar enough, that if your logs are in order, stick with your routine and you won't have an issue. Remember that SPEED LIMIT SIGNS ARE IN KMH - watch your speed and remember KMH.

Rick

Rick, that is a super helpful and educational reply you made to Brian. Great info for all of us in case we ever get assigned a Canadian load. Also, I believe overpass heights are in meters. 4.15 M = 13'6".

I envy Brian for getting to make that trip. I would love to do it myself.

One other thing is all trucks in canada are required to be goverened. If you get caught in violation up there it gets expensive.

Bruce k.

I want that load also. I have always wanted to go into Canada. My cousin and I tried when we were teenagers but because we didn't have more than $100.00 a piece they wouldn't let us in. We maybe had 35 bucks a piece. Don't remember.

Good for you Brian!

Raptor

One other thing is all trucks in canada are required to be goverened. If you get caught in violation up there it gets expensive.

Does that apply to BC? I know Quebec and Ontario require them - I didn't find anything that said they were mandatory in BC also (nor do I think they are).

He's going to want to route to do as little Canada driving as possible anyways (I assume), come across 90, to 5 and cross at Blaine WA.

Here's some information from a washington state driving school - on Canadian Crossings https://pacificnwpds.com/what-us-truckers-need-to-know-about-driving-in-canada/ - link would go into the link box.

Since he's going in August - there's a ton of lead time here, to make sure the ducks are properly lined up.

Rick

I always go into quebec or ontario. The signs are very prelevant at the border crossings. I always go across in canada to avoid tolls in ny. I’m not sure about BC. I haul hazmat loads in and they are very fussy which border crossings we can use.

BC did not have a regulation for all CMV requiring the speed limiters last time I was there in November of 18.