ACI Portal

martinetav said:
Ask 10 people from the gov. a question and you'll easily get 10 different answers...
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This is absolutely true. Over a year ago, we participated in one of the web seminars where they were teaching us how to use the portal. The most common answer to any question that any of the participants had was "Um, we're not sure. Call the help desk number later on once the program begins." My specific question was regarding loads going to Canadian Tire, Walmart, etc. where there could be several types of mixed freight within one shipment. During the webinar, we were instructed that each type of cargo is to be listed separately so I asked "what if there are 50 or more types of product? Do you really expect us to list each product separately and indicate how many pieces there are of each product?" That threw them for a loop, to say the least.
 
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Then this one will really set your hair on fire ... without divulging too much information, we work for a shipper that sends a load into Canada every day. These loads could have as much as five to seven thousand pieces on them and each piece requires two to three pieces of paper. It is not uncommon at all for our drivers to cross the border with as many as four boxes of customs documents ... and by boxes I mean the ones you get from Staples that has 5,000 sheets of paper in them ... in the bunk, all backed up by a master bill of lading. Everything on these shipments is done electronically, there is no possible way to do it otherwise. if you had to manually clear paperwork, or rewrite every document to conform with ACI you would be untold hours getting one of these loads across the border.

[aside ... one dingbat border guard asked my driver for his customs docs one day .... he got the surprise of his life when the driver told him there were 2 boxes (10,000 sheets) in the bunk and asked him where he wanted them ... LOL]
 
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I would LOVE to hear what the help desk has to say about those loads! Not even sure how those types of loads would be handled within the ACI portal.
 
Michael Ludwig said:
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.
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We use the Brother Bar code labellers.
All customs paperwork comes directly to our office via the drivers scanner. We generate the CCN in the office and submit everything to the broker, we then process the ACI via the portal. A trip number is generated in our dispatch software and is sent to the driver. The driver then creates the trip number on his Brother handheld bar code maker. He sticks the bar code on his ACI lead sheet, which he was given when he left for the US. When he arrives at the bridge, all he hands the customs officer is the ACI lead sheet, he/she stamps it, and all is good.

We've been doing it for 2 years, no major issues so far.
We have had drivers who don't double check to make sure the trip number they were sent, and the trip number they created match. You can't avoid that element of human error.
 
Is anyone doing ACI manifests for empty trucks coming across the border? Just had a driver get some grief from a Customs officer because he didn't have one. I know the US tried that when they started but scrapped it quickly.
 
If you are CSA approved, you can present carrier bar code and drivers FAST card you can cross empty that way and avoid doing a manifest.
 
Just got this "reminder" from CBSA. eManifests now mandatory - no monetary penalty til Jan 2016:

eManifest non-monetary penalty period for highway carriers begins July 10, 2015

You are receiving this notice as part of the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) ongoing commitment to communicate important commercial cross-border information.
This is to remind you that a 6-month, non-monetary penalty period for highway carriers begins July 10, 2015, in accordance with the following eManifest implementation timelines:
  • From July 10, 2015, to January 10, 2016, carriers who do not comply with eManifest requirements may be issued zero-rated penalties (non-monetary) under the CBSA’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).
  • Beginning January 11, 2016, carriers who do not comply with eManifest requirements may be issued monetary AMPS penalties.
The CBSA remains committed to supporting clients in their transition to eManifest throughout the implementation phase through online resources and dedicated client support activities.
STAY INFORMED - The eManifest sectionof the CBSA website is the best source for the most up-to-date information on eManifest. Online resources and client support are available, including eManifest requirements and Portal documentation, Webinars, live and pre-recorded presentations, an eManifest Help Desk and regional and technical support.

Visit the website regularly and subscribe to the eManifest Web feedto be notified of important eManifest updates.
 
Jim L said:
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.
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I don't think you auditor has ever had to deal with the customs department. I'd like to see him try to get the pars and the ACI both stamped. They have a hard time properly stamping the ACI as it is. We use a third party for our entries and they have the possibility to print out a proof of release. this is what we are giving our customers when invoicing
 
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truck05 said:
Is anyone doing ACI manifests for empty trucks coming across the border? Just had a driver get some grief from a Customs officer because he didn't have one. I know the US tried that when they started but scrapped it quickly.
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well we still give our drivers ACE for entering the US empty. As far as we can see it is required. We never had to put destination addresses in because all of our drivers are FAST but this week at the Blaine WA crossing our driver was turned around and told to have her dispatch do it properly and we had to put a destination address in order for her to be able to cross empty from B.C. to WA
 
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Just more BS I'm just catching on to cell phones and now they start this s###. Nobody thinks to make it easier for the trucker/owner, I spend more time screwing with paperwork and customers than driving. I've said for the last 40 years the shipper should have all the customs requirements done when the truck arrives for pick-up, then hand driver B/L and a cleared customs document to show at border and BOBS YOUR UNCLE
 
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rickwill said:
Just more BS I'm just catching on to cell phones and now they start this s###. Nobody thinks to make it easier for the trucker/owner, I spend more time screwing with paperwork and customers than driving. I've said for the last 40 years the shipper should have all the customs requirements done when the truck arrives for pick-up, then hand driver B/L and a cleared customs document to show at border and BOBS YOUR UNCLE
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Couldn't agree with you more. The Importer of Record should obtain a CCN and provide the carrier with that information either on the BOL or on the Canada Customs Invoice. We use that number on the ACI which links up with customs and the customs broker and you're done.
I never could understand why the carrier should be giving instructions to the Customs Broker to which we have no business relationship with.
 
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martinetav said:
I don't think you auditor has ever had to deal with the customs department. I'd like to see him try to get the pars and the ACI both stamped. They have a hard time properly stamping the ACI as it is. We use a third party for our entries and they have the possibility to print out a proof of release. this is what we are giving our customers when invoicing
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This is a CBSA auditor who has all the knowledge of Canada Customs. He advised me to make a public complaint online. I made a complaint on Friday and this morning I received call from the acting chief at Ambassador bridge.
She said that all ACI Lead Sheets and PARS entries must be stamped if the driver requests it. The ACI lead sheet must be stamped to prove that the driver did report and should the system not work(in cases where ACI is down, or a system glitch), they may require this document to avoid AMP penalties to the carrier. Proof of shipment being cleared can only be made by a stamped PARS document or the ACI lead sheet with the ability to prove that EDI instructions were sent AND accepted by CBSA for that particular CCN. Our system gives us general messages but we cannot recall what specific data the system sent at a particular time in the EDI so we need the PARS stamped.

I have kept a fairly good record since June 1 of the issues we were having at the borders with ACI. I forwarded all my ACI manifest numbers since the beginning of the month, with what the driver said happened at the booth. She was surprised to see how many issues we had with the requests to get both documents stamped. She noticed that most were after hours and on weekends and will follow up with this list to specifically speak to the officer involved.

We'll see what happens, I'll keep you updated....
 
Jim L said:
This is a CBSA auditor who has all the knowledge of Canada Customs. He advised me to make a public complaint online. I made a complaint on Friday and this morning I received call from the acting chief at Ambassador bridge.
She said that all ACI Lead Sheets and PARS entries must be stamped if the driver requests it. The ACI lead sheet must be stamped to prove that the driver did report and should the system not work(in cases where ACI is down, or a system glitch), they may require this document to avoid AMP penalties to the carrier. Proof of shipment being cleared can only be made by a stamped PARS document or the ACI lead sheet with the ability to prove that EDI instructions were sent AND accepted by CBSA for that particular CCN. Our system gives us general messages but we cannot recall what specific data the system sent at a particular time in the EDI so we need the PARS stamped.

I have kept a fairly good record since June 1 of the issues we were having at the borders with ACI. I forwarded all my ACI manifest numbers since the beginning of the month, with what the driver said happened at the booth. She was surprised to see how many issues we had with the requests to get both documents stamped. She noticed that most were after hours and on weekends and will follow up with this list to specifically speak to the officer involved.

We'll see what happens, I'll keep you updated....
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Well, I think the the CBSA is like all the other government departments, the left hand and the right hand don't have any Idea what the other is doing. They should go, incognito, through customs a few times and they will see that drivers are at the mercy of the customs officers that encounter. A request of this kind can lead to in depth inspection of both the load and the driver.
 
martinetav said:
Well, I think the the CBSA is like all the other government departments, the left hand and the right hand don't have any Idea what the other is doing. They should go, incognito, through customs a few times and they will see that drivers are at the mercy of the customs officers that encounter. A request of this kind can lead to in depth inspection of both the load and the driver.
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Yes, you are correct-there is often a disconnect in the system. I am glad, however, that I have the assistant chief working on this with me. That's a lot of weight in my corner now.
 
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JN1981 said:
If you are CSA approved, you can present carrier bar code and drivers FAST card you can cross empty that way and avoid doing a manifest.
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Just crossed with a driver who has FAST card. We are also FAST and CSA, The driver was given an advertisement of non conformity. So DO YOUR ACI TO CROSS EVEN IF EMPTY!!! EVEN IF YOUR ARE CSA AND DRIVER IS FAST!
 
So is it starting to piss anyone else off that every frickin day ACI is having issues? It must be Friday as ACI is down again. I wonder if we can sue the government for just being idiots? The US offered them the ACE and Canada had to build a better one. What a joke this is getting to be.
 
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