Canadian Carrier with US Driver

Don't kid yourself Martinetav there are lots and lots of Canadian carriers that interstate all the time. I personally know of one that rarely crosses the border with a load. His trucks go mty to Michigan and load run around down there for a couple weeks and come home for a couple days. I guess it is a pretty good deal all US funds and specialty work.
 
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Rob said:
Don't kid yourself Martinetav there are lots and lots of Canadian carriers that interstate all the time. I personally know of one that rarely crosses the border with a load. His trucks go mty to Michigan and load run around down there for a couple weeks and come home for a couple days. I guess it is a pretty good deal all US funds and specialty work.
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Interesting........
Upon the driver's return to Canada after such a trip, I'm interested to know how he explains to CBSA why he has been in the US for several weeks since he entered the US with an empty trailer. Similarly, and more importantly, when he then re-enters the US for his next two-week trip, I'm sure the CBP officer will ask him about his previous trip and what he was doing in the US for that many weeks, having entered with an empty trailer. Since the CBSA and CBP now have linked systems documenting when someone enters/exits both countries........
 
I will ask him when I see him in town but my guess is they could care less. Back a few years ago Landstar let a bunch of Canadian BCO's go for the very same reason. I asked on of them back then the same question and his answer was what I just said. Customs never even asked.
 
If no one on either side bothered to ask, that makes sense but it is pretty risky nonetheless. What happens when someone starts asking questions?
Most people don't advertise how they break the law but if you are close enough to the guy that he can confide in you, then I would be interested to know what he says. :)
 
First of all ... It's not me ... LOL
Having said that ... it's easy enough to do. You cross out at Port Huron. Run around the U.S. for a couple weeks, then cross back in at an innocuous border point like Queenston. You go out at night, and you come in at night.
As soon as CBP starts asking questions though, the jig is up. Smile when you take your $400.00 fine, do one more legit load back and forth across the border, then run point-to-point in Canada for the next 6 months. After that, you do it all over again.
Earlier someone also mentioned about Laredo and ports. I think I'd want to get an actual written opinion from immigration on that as the ports are U.S. soil, but Laredo is a free-trade zone, and there is a difference.
 
I know one Canadian owner-operator who was caught interstating back about 10 years ago. They seized his truck and barred him from ever going back to the states (lifetime ban). He never did get his truck back, and that just about ruined him. I'm not sure if he was a repeat offender or if that was his first time, but he runs Canada only to this day.
 
I know reefer and container guys do it all the time. and ROB I do know that this happens frequently. The load we did that finaled in QC but had us deliveries, was given to us by a Landstar agent out of TX a few years back. I don't know if they were testing a theory and THEY called immigration or what. All I know is that after checking things out for several hours, we were told that we were clean and could go. The driver is still with us and goes regularly to the US so he did not get barred from the US
 
You take your chances. It's like drunk driving... you can get away with it once or twice or three times and then boom... you're in a serious accident and on the national news. Whenever I post a US load going to somewhere close to the Canadian border I get calls from Canadian carriers. I always tell them sorry, no can do unless your driver is legally allowed to work in the United States. Don't do it... if you have an accident your insurance carrier will wash their hands of you very easily by declining your claim.. illegal operations not covered under your policy.
 
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What if I am a Canadian driver operating a Canadian pick up and trailer under a US carrier's DOT number, MC#, insurance, etc.? Basically the truck, trailer, and driver would be leased to the US carrier - not as an employee, but sub-contracted. Is that legit?
 
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As a Canadian you would still be subject to the US rules which govern foreign workers in the United States. You would be able to pick up freight destined to outside US points and you'd be able to deliver freight that is coming in from outside, but you wouldn't be able to run point to point within the US, hauling domestic US freight.
 
Thank you, FB for your reply. I'll need to find a way to get this done as the opportunity has too much potential to let pass.
 
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