ACI Portal

bull958

bull958

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Mar 4, 2009
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Anyone else having trouble logging into the ACI portal? Was in no problem this morning, but been trying for the last 30 minutes and it keeps timing out.
 
Should be interesting at the bridges. Where are they going to stack and pack all the trucks waiting????
 
Rob, are you using the portal for the bar codes? or a third party? We had some complaints a year ago on the bar code, didn't change anything and so far no issues since.
 
We're not using ACI yet, but apparently the updated implementation date is July 10, 2015.
However, as I understand it, the driver is required to present original barcodes at the border. How are you folks managing that?
 
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Luckily we have scanners in the trucks and the drivers just scan us the paperwork now.
 
We have been using ACI for well over a year, we are using the PARs sticker as the mandated machine readable bar code, and have had no issues.
 
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Yes, I was told by Customs that you could use the Pars sticker also as the barcode. They in fact, told me that even if the trip has multiple bar codes, presenting one of them would, in fact link all the others as long as they are all listed on the manifest. I would want to verify that again before I tried it, though.
We are a small company. So we just give a lead sheet to the driver before he/she leaves with the outbound load and update it before they cross to reflect loaded and add the pars numbers. It is not the best system for a large company, though.
 
Michael Ludwig said:
We're not using ACI yet, but apparently the updated implementation date is July 10, 2015.
However, as I understand it, the driver is required to present original barcodes at the border. How are you folks managing that?
Click to expand...
We are actually getting scowled at for presenting original paperwork. All they want is the ACI. Our Drivers are being told that there is no reason for us NOT to be presenting the ACI sheet. I guess they can see that we are ACI approved. The thing is, the drivers are not use to having to get this from us and sometimes forget to stop where we can fax him the ACI
 
chica123 said:
Yes, I was told by Customs that you could use the Pars sticker also as the barcode. They in fact, told me that even if the trip has multiple bar codes, presenting one of them would, in fact link all the others as long as they are all listed on the manifest. I would want to verify that again before I tried it, though.
We are a small company. So we just give a lead sheet to the driver before he/she leaves with the outbound load and update it before they cross to reflect loaded and add the pars numbers. It is not the best system for a large company, though.
Click to expand...
Ask 10 people from the gov. a question and you'll easily get 10 different answers... I would in no way take that for cash. We the carriers are always held responsible for mistakes made... just do the ACI guys and you'll avoid penalties in the future... Is there anyone out there who has actually had a customs officier say 'oh, sorry, my mistake'...
 
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Going one step further with the ACI manifests, for those that do CSA shipments; about 5 out of 20 of our drivers right now coming in with CSA shipments are being told by CBSA that the CSA shipments need to be on the manifest sent to customs electronically (so they don't have to change screens on their computer to clear them properly with the CSA lead sheets we provide, and then the PARS all on the ACI when there is a mixed load of CSA and PARS). On the CBSA website it states:
Submission of advance CSA cargo data is optional. The existing paper process for reporting CSA goods at FPOA using a bar-coded Lead Sheet can still be used. However, if CSA-eligible goods are included on a Highway Cargo Document, the Business Number of the approved CSA importer - along with all other Highway Cargo Document data elements - must be included for the goods to be authorized to deliver under the CSA program.
3.5.1 Highway Cargo Documents
  1. The carrier (also referred to as the Portal user) must submit Highway Cargo Documents to the CBSA for each shipment destined for Canada, unless subject to an exemption or exception (see Section 3.6). For goods qualified for CSA clearance, providing advance cargo information is optional.
Anyone else having similar issues? I have left 2 voicemails at the port of Sarnia CBSA but nobody calls me back...
 
I have a printer/copier/scanner in the truck. The ACI or ACE when going south gets emailed to me and I print it out.

All Canada customs ask for at the booth is the ACI but if you have to go inside they want the Cci with the pars as well.

Having the printer beats the old way of having to stop at tge the truck stop and wait for a faxed ACI.

Company pays for us all to have U.S. /Canada wide phones and data plans and they reimbursed for the costs of printer and ink..
 
My guys have been crossing for almost a year with a faxed copy of the ACI manifest. No problems so far...
 
I actually have a stock of Brother PT 7600 handheld label printers to issue to the drivers, and the plan is to email them the CCN and have them print the label for the CCI and submit it to the broker that way. Apparently works pretty good for the flat deckers that use the system this way.
 
As per the following link:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/manif/eccrdhi-deccerout-eng.html
we use section 3.4 number 6b: b. a bar-coded CCN with a handwritten CRN.
This saves us from sending a driver to a truckstop to receive a faxed leadsheet.

Basically we give them the PARS with the ACI trip number (CRN) hand written underneath it. They don't like it but it is still mandatory that the PARS be stamped or you may get an AMPS penalty. I also don't want to send a leadsheet to a truck stop so some kid behind the till knows the truck, trailer, driver and what is on the truck. Last thing I need is for him to call his friends to come and steal the load after hitting my driver over the head.


I have the auditor here with me this week and says he will not accept the ACI lead sheet with the stamp as you can make an ACI lead sheet, send it to the driver and then change it afterwards. Two different programs with differing expectations.

As for the CSA shipments, I am told you have to list them on an ACI manifest if you have a combination of CSA shipments and PARS shipments. You need to give them a CCN number but it will not be used for customs clearance purposes.
 
We use the same process that Jim L's team does, with the exception that we have the drivers complete a hand written ACI lead sheet with the CCN and CRN, and present the PARs code for scanning. It has worked without issue to date for the past 14 months, as well as through the 2 CBSA ACI validations that we have completed for the CBSA early adopter program.

F1 Freight - here's the number for the go to person at CBSA Sarnia for ACI - 519-333-6343. She's extraordinarily helpful.
 
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