Traveling to Canada (Check back later for additional tips)
Traveling to Canada for the first time can bring on an uneasy feeling. Here are some tips to help:
- When leaving the US to go into Canada, Canadian Customs will often ask a few of questions. Be prepared to answer these questions
- How long will you be staying in Canada?
- Do you have any weapons?
- Where are you from?
- When coming back into the USA, US customs will often ask a lot of questions. Be prepared to answer these questions :
- Where did you pick up the load?
- What product are you hauling?
- Where are you from?
- Where are you going?
- What is your truck and trailer number?
- Do you have a seal on the trailer?
- How often to you travel to Canada?
- Are you paying with US Dollars or Canadian money?
- Do you have anything to declare? (Tell them everything you bought in Canada that you are bringing to the USA, that included food?
Entering back into the USA: Have your ACI E-Manifest ready to present to the US Customs officer at the booth. May need it at some Border Crossing even if you are empty. If crossing empty into the USA at Blaine, WA, you will not need an ACI E-manifest, you only need to tell the Customs officer at the booth that you are empty and be prepared to tell the US Customs officer your trailer plate number. You must declare certain items you are carrying back into the USA: for instance, you need to declare any fruits and vegetables you are bringing into the USA. They may confiscate the items you declare, but it better to declare them and lose them, rather than get in trouble for not disclosing the items. Contact US customs for a list of items that need to be declared as you enter the USA.
Quebec has French rather than English road signs:
NORD = North
SUD = South
EST = East
OUEST = West
Sortie = Speed Limit
Speed limits and mileage markers are in Kilometers, 10 Km/hour = 6 mph, 100Km/hour = 62 mph
Weights: 1 Kilogram = 2.20462 lbs, 10,000 Kilograms x 2.20462 = 22,046 lbs, 20,000 Kilograms = 44,092
Bridges 13’6” = 4’ 2” Meters is fine
Diesel is measured in litres, not gallons
Weigh Station are called Inspection Stations
Take metal bolt seals (not plastic) with you into Canada: You will need a bolt seal to seal your trailer if the shipper in Canada does not provide one
People from Quebec speak French and the roadways have French signs. Good news: I have always found at least 1 person at a Shipper or Consignee who spoke English.
Hwy 400 in Ontario has low underpasses that you will need to be in center lanes to keep from hitting top of your trailer
Canada has different hours of service laws. Know the law before entering Canada so that you do not get a logbook ticket. Be especially careful entering back into the USA. Switch back to US Hours of Service before crossing back into the USA.
Entering Canada: There are items you need to declare to US Customs as you leave the USA. US Customs will give you a form to fill out with your declaration as to what you are taking out of the USA. (I once entered the USA and US Customs searched my truck and found several musical instruments that I carry with me for personal enjoyment. They almost confiscated them because they thought I may have bought them in Canada and was trying to bring them into the USA without paying import taxes. If you declare items as you enter, then they will not question you as to where you bought the items.)
How to Enter Canada at Blaine, WA:
All Trucks must take I-5 Exit 275 to get to Canadian border.
NON-BONDED Shipment at Blaine, WA:
· Drive straight to Canadian Customs booth and give your ACI e-manifest and passport (or passport card) to the officer.
· Canadian Custom officer will stamp your ACI e-manifest and return it with your passport and you are free to drive into Canada.
INBOND Shipment at Blaine, WA:
Stop at parking area just before Duty Free Store
Walk across the street to US Customs
(They are located on the west side of the street)
Wait in line until you are called to a window and be prepared to answer the above questions especially, “What is your truck license plate number?”
(1) Have US Customs clear your bond (US Customs
will stamp the three copies and return two copies to you)
(2) Drive up to Canadian customs with ACI and
Passport. Canadian Customs will stamp your ACI
and return it and your passport to you.
(3) Fax or Transflo all custom paperwork to your
company and mail custom paperwork to company.
How to Enter Canada at Detroit, MI with shipment.
INBOND Shipment at Detroit, MI:
· Take I-75 Exit 47B (Bridge to Canada).
· After exiting, immediately look for a sign on the left that reads “U.S. Customs & Border Protection Fort Street Cargo Facility”, turn left at the sign going underneath the bridge into the U.S. Customs facility. (You will see the sign as you are following the curve to the right.)
· Officer will ask to see your paperwork and ask you why you are there. Hand officer your paperwork and tell him, “I am here to clear an INBOND shipment”. He will return paperwork.
· Pull up to the gate and it will automatically open. Enter facility and parking on the right in a designated truck parking spot.
· Walk to the U.S. Customs compound and present your paperwork for processing (stop at Broker if you need them to process paperwork first). The U.S. Customs will be the second building you come to. (The first building is where the bathrooms and brokers are located). Wait in line until you are called to a window and be prepared to answer the above questions especially, “What is your truck license plate number?”
· After US Customs stamps your Form 7512, they will return it to you and you are free to drive into Canada
· The exit is located just to the left of the entrance. Only 1 truck at a time, otherwise you will be blocking traffic. Officer will ask you why you where there. Tell him, “I was here to clear a INBOND shipment”.
· You will drive thru Duty Free Store parking lot, then cross the Bridge into Canada.
· Drive up to any open Canadian Customs booth and give your ACI e-manifest and passport (or passport card) to the officer.
· Canadian Custom officer will stamp your ACI Emanifest and return it with your passport and you are free to drive into Canada.
· Make a copy of your stamped Form 7512 and keep it. Transflo or Fax the stamped Form 7512 to the company you drive for. Mail the original Form 7512 to your company.
· (Just for your information: Entry # on paperwork is the same as a Bond #)
NON-BONDED Shipment at Detroit, MI:
· Take I-75 Exit 47B (Bridge to Canada). After exiting, road curves to the right.
· You will drive thru Duty Free Store parking lot, then cross the Bridge into Canada.
· Drive up to any open Canadian Customs booth and give your ACI e-manifest and passport (or passport card) to the officer.
· Canadian Custom officer will stamp your ACI e-manifest and return it with your passport and you are free to drive into Canada.
· You can use US Dollars in Canada, but they will only give you change in their currency. Take smaller bills into Canada useless you want to bring back a lot of foreign money.
· Turn off Data roaming and voice roaming on your cell phone unless you have a Canadian plan on cellphone, or useless you what a high cellphone bill. I get free texting in Canada which works good for me. I also look for free WiFi in Canada. Use “The Ultimate Truck Parking Guide” by ParkMyRig to find Free WiFi.
· If NB Avoid Montreal traffic by taking: Exit 14 to Hwy 30 North to Hwy 530 to Hwy 30 East