HOS are different, most importantly the reset provision. In Canada it is 36 hours. This is rumour, but if you're going to Ontario and they want to inspect your logbook they'll ding you for the reset if you have only the 34 for the USA. There are other differences between the two countries, so check HOS for both so you can abide by both when you're in either.
The policing of CMVs in Ontario is very (rumour again) severe and it's been alleged that there is a quota for finding problems with trucks/drivers during inspections.
In Ontario and Quebec trucks must be governed to 105 km/h, roughly 65 m/h.
Winter fuel in USA won't be enough most places in Canada during winter - bring your own additives.
If you're going to have the option to go home each night, I'm guessing you'll be running JIT for automotive plants. The Windsor/Detroit crossing can be a pain. You may need a lot of patience if that's where you end up a lot. ;)
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions:
Hey that was awesome help Michael! We need a little help from our Canadian friends from time to time, eh? I live outside of Buffalo, NY so I'm not far from ya.
Hey Sheffield, it's awesome you stopped in and we certainly hope you'll keep checking in! It's not about hearing riveting, life-changing stories. For the mentors here on the site it's about hearing from people you've gotten to know and helped out along the way. We love to hear back from everyone about how their career is going and how life on the road is treating them. And for the others that got into trucking the same time you did, they'd most certainly like to know how things are going for other drivers at the same stage in their career. So please don't think you need some sort of special news or an awesome story to say hi. By all means say all you like!
I never worked for Swift but I did haul auto parts out of Canada into the U.S. every night for a company out of Buffalo a few years ago. We would go into Ontario, pick up the parts, and bring them back to the U.S. side in Buffalo. The parts would then go on a train heading to Michigan.
Canada isn't much different than the U.S. As Michael mentioned there are some differences in speed limits, weights, and logbook rules. Not massive differences, but big enough to study up on them a bit. Speaking with some of the Canadian drivers in that fleet should get you on track quickly for what to expect. But with that type of job everything becomes very routine in a hurry. By the end of my first week doing it I could find all of the locations in my sleep, I knew the procedures, and everything was just very routine.
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
Thanks Michael and Brett for your replies and for the information you have both provided. It might be the routine that gets boring after my OTR adventures, but I'll take it for now as I thinking of leaving Swift at the end of my first year. I love this site and I will keep my adventures coming Brett...
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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Hi guys, I'm still reading the forum but don't think I have the most interesting stories to tell. I do like to give my updates from time to time and if anybody has any feed back, good or bad, please feel free to let me know.
I will be at Swift Transportation a year in March which will mean I can look to move on as per the advice given from Brett. I might have cheated a little on that last bit.......let me explain. My over the road adventures have been some what restricted to the eastern region of America. In training I did do all the 48 states which was awesome. If you have read my past posts you will know that I've certainly had my run ins with my DM (driver manager) and always ask for advice from this site....if I'm not sure where I stand. Now for my moving on role.....still within Swift, which keeps with what trucking truth ask you to do......but with a different role. As of Monday I will be running Canada only. Home every weekend and most days if you so wish. I know only what I've been told by a couple of the Canadian Swift drivers so I can't confirm or deny anything else about it. Can anybody on this site let me know any further information on running Canada?
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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.Driver Manager:
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.