Runs to Canada, Pros and Cons?

Negative - border delays.

Positive - Canadian HOS

 

I always enjoyed Canada.But like tim says there could be delays depending where u cross.Detroit is time consuming but Sweetgrass in MT and Idaho was a breeze.Port Huron was also a snap getting thru.

 

I normally run BC and AB. I cross at a lot of the smaller ports so wait times are never an issue. I love running north, the HOS rules are better, a lot of open space, plus my company pays an extra $100 dollars every time I cross the border.

 

This may be an anomaly but my experience was highly negative. 1st the border patrol ex-rayed my tanker front to back and searched my sleeper. Understandable. I was told to wait in a room. After an hour two Goons came in the room and told me to lock my hands over my head and spread my feet. One of them bent me over and searched me head to toe. Then they pulled me into an interrogation room with a glass separation. They asked me about a misdemeanor offense from 29 years ago that I had all but forgotten. I said look, I don't want any trouble. I'll just turn around and go back.BIG MISTAKE! Apparently he thought I had something to hide so, They searched my sleeper again. After the search I was deported. I was glad to be back. You can have Canada and being a foreigner. I'll make my money in the US. Good luck.

 

I would say that's an anomaly. The only people I've ever heard anything like that from the driver had a criminal record or trying to joke around with border patrol. I have had my truck searched once but it was not a big deal. I ran a dedicated rout to edmonton out of Montana and I crossed 3 times a week with no issue at all and now I cross at least once a week. Probably helps that I know all the border guards by now and they recognize me though. But to each their own, normally it's a thorough search your first time in then nothing after that. Also with their system they do not distinguish between a misdemeanor and a felony from the states

 

It takes extra time to cross the border , but the Canadian Beer rules. Ah, and the gentle men's clubs with truck parking up there.

Plus the people I met were super great, must be the northern hospitality, Southern hospitality means you are an ### hole, in my experience

 

I always had positive crossings.
As long as your paperwork is in order you should sail right through.

The company I worked for at the time I was running Canada paid a nice border crossing bonus.

Sure you'll get run through the x-ray and searched from time to time but the more you go the more they leave you alone.

Have your return manifest filled out and money ready(if you don't have a transponder) and you wont have any issues.

 

Had a run to Burnaby one time. The Canadian official cursed worse than any drunken sailor I ever heard when I was in the Navy. He was actually screaming at all the American drivers after he nitpicked the trucks and found minor things. Cursing and screaming not to ever cross the border again with such horrible equipment, then hundreds of dollars in fines. He reminded me of some American DOT enforcement officers that think they're really CIA operatives.

 

Yeah I know a ton of truckers who immediately get upset and say they wont go to Canada. I then ask if they had ever been there and they reply "No". I have been to pretty much every city in Canada. It is basically like one huge farm state like Arkansas and after a couple of hours or so you run into a huge city where everyone is packed into one spot like New Jersey. It is cool just to say you have been there, but really no pros better than the US. It makes you appreciate the US more since they make it seem like Canada is just like the US but it isn't. I have to bring my own food since all of theirs tastes like artificial cardboard. Police setup checkpoints to randomly check people's cars.

The best thing are the hot french chicks and some hot asians too. Everything is double in price. A lot of businesses close at night like small towns in the US used to do way back in the day. Once I was at a shipper and had to stay overnight and wanted to buy some food but everything was completely closed, even the Walmart. Also, I have been through just about every border crossing about 30 times and NEVER been delayed. Its as fast as going through a regular pay toll without EZ pass. You dont have to worry about getting shot by thugs while there. Oh and its weird a lot of Flying Js are small 4 wheeler gas stations. I noticed a lot of Canadian trucks with huge tanks so up there I assume you are supposed to drive til you reach your destination and park on the side of the road. When the 8 hour rule came into effect I just pulled on the side of a highway for 30 minutes and no one seemed to care. Oh yeah and they say not to joke with the border patrol but they joke with me! Once border patrol asked if I could bring them some beer the next time I come through lol.