Aci portal

Always the pro-active one, I tried my first ACI yesterday on the portal.
When the driver got to the border, dude said it didn't work, but we got an "E" for effort and cleared him under PARS.
The problem was, it took 6 1/2 hours to get accepted by customs.
IS THIS NORMAL?
I sure hope not, a lot of my loads originate less than 6 hours from the border.
HELP!
 

Flat Freight

Member
2
Dave, Generally they move from updating to accepted status in about 3 mins. Yesterday I did a few and they were a little slower than normal at about 15 mins to be accepted. I've been doing them for over a year via the "portal, and find them pretty straightforward.
 
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chica123

Site Supporter
30
I'll chip in my experience here. We've been using the portal since the beginning of July to make sure we have all scenarios covered before it's mandatory. Like Flat Freight said, it is usually updated in about 3-4 minutes, but today ours took 3 hours. I can only assume that a whole lot of carriers are just starting to use the portal at the last moment and it is slowing things down considerably? Anybody else finding this?
 
Since there is nothing happening today...they have shut down the world I think due to Sandy...As a followup, I think I screwed the first one up. It was a t/l, and I did a combined. I submitted the conveyance, but afterwards it looks like I still have to hit "submit" on the shipment separately, because it was just sitting there.
Next try was a 3 LTL load, I did the 3 shipments and the conveyance separately, and it worked fine. Took 20 minutes of clicking and typing though. I'm really looking forward to doing this for every truck
 

WALTERK

Active Member
10
Anybody else having problems with accessing the ACI portal today? It seems that my login credentials are not working any more and I have used them for the last 3 weeks without any problems.
 
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FR8CHICK

Site Supporter
2
The ACI portal is down as per CBSA and all entries are to be done the old way until further notice. Call 888-957-7224 then press 2 for Portal if you want to hear the recording stating this.
It appears the system is overwhelmed this morning with the switch from Access Key to GCKey.

Sandy
 
LMFAO
Typical customs idealogy. Make it mandatory then see if it works.
Bill, I'm all over it buddy...but don't cross the border til you hear from me ;)
 

Flat Freight

Member
2
Anybody Else having issues logging into the portal ? ...I was having no issues an hour ago , but now after accepting terms & conditions...it tells me my session has ended?
 
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PSTC

Member
10
We have found after upgrading to the GCkey that you must clear your cookies on your computer after every login/logout session.

Hope this works for you.
 
OK...STUPID QUESTION.
Once all your cargo and conveyance documents have been accepted and the driver has his lead sheet...do you still have to wait till all the PARS are processed, submitted and accepted by the broker?
I imagine the answer is in the reams of info they give, I just don't have time to go through it all.
 

WALTERK

Active Member
10
Dave in London,
I got this email from CBSA yesterday:

"NEW!! Highway carriers

The CBSA completed the deployment of electronic systems (Electronic Data Interchange ( EDI ) and eManifest Portal) for highway carriers to transmit cargo and conveyance data in 2011.

An informed compliance period for highway carriers will begin November 1, 2012 , and remain in effect until May 2013 when eManifest-enabling legislation and regulations are expected to be in place.

During this six-month informed compliance period, carriers will not be denied entry to Canada or subject to penalties for reasons associated with eManifest non-compliance.

The CBSA will continue to assist clients in becoming eManifest-compliant through communications, outreach, compliance monitoring and other support activities.

In May 2013, eManifest highway carrier requirements are expected to be mandatory and non-compliant carriers could be subject to penalties.

So, I guess you can take it easy for another 6 months.
 

chica123

Site Supporter
30
OK...STUPID QUESTION.
Once all your cargo and conveyance documents have been accepted and the driver has his lead sheet...do you still have to wait till all the PARS are processed, submitted and accepted by the broker?
I imagine the answer is in the reams of info they give, I just don't have time to go through it all.

the pars numbers still have to be in accepted status for you to cross...in other words, you have to do your job, and the customs broker still has to do their job before you can cross.
 

Flat Freight

Member
2
Dave ....if you have submitted aci manifest...No your pars do not need to accepted, or even sent to the broker for that matter...however the driver will have to go inside & see the broker (which they always love !). I was told the drivers dont even need the cover page, although it is recommended ! As long as the driver has at least 1 carrier barcoded pars document the customs system is supposed to cross reference it to the manifest trip # you have assigned...handy for times when the driver cant wait for the lead sheet
 
Good to know lead sheet not mandatory..that helps when fax machines not available.
So, in other words...all that typing we do with shipper, consignee etc in the cargo is a useless waste of time...if they just let us put in PARS# with conveyance, it would match up anyways and give them the info we inputted. We're just duplicating half of what the broker does.
Sheesh.
 

chica123

Site Supporter
30
wow, thanks for that Flat Freight...I didn't know that. We were told everything had to be in order to cross!
 
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JN1981

Active Member
10
You don't need a bar coded cover sheet to cross. We were told early on to hand write the trip #(CRN#) by the PARS sticker and then either a cover sheet or invoice is acceptable. I also have my drivers write their tractor and trailer plates with the CRN# just in case we happen to get a picky border agent.

You can also pre print the cover sheet with the trip number and driver/truck info to send before they leave and the driver can handwritten the pars #(s) on the cover sheet if you anticipate not being able to fax it to your driver.
 
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