Going in and out of Canada in a 40 ft branded Commerical RV

Wanted to share my first Canada border crossing experience in a commercial truck - The company I'm working for 'sets' everything up so it's supposed to be smooth sailing....not so much.

I crossed the border in Blaine Washington on a typical rainy Northwest Monday. I was told to drive to the Canadian border and the Canadian Customs officer will instruct me where to go to get the proper documents so I can drive the 'showroom' in. My company hired a 'Customs Broker' (private company called Livingston International) where they are supposed to set-up all the paperwork ahead of time.

So I pulled right up to Canadian Border and handed them my Passport and explained that I've never done this before and was needing a little help on what to do. The Canadian border guard was very nice and explained where to park and pointed to the building I go to to get my paperwork - then which building I go to after that to show them that paperwork - wait for them to process it - and finally get 'stamped' and on my way into Canada. I only got lost for about an hour trying to find the 'Livingston' office - they don't believe in signs at the Border, guess you're supposed to just know where to go. So after asking about 6 different people I finally found their office. Here I waited for another hour while they tried to figure out who I was and what I was transporting (glad everything was set-up ahead of time).

Once I got this paperwork squared away I was was told to walk back across the street to the Canadian Freight Customs Office and they would process the paperwork (I actually knew where this building was due to my getting lost earlier and stumbling upon this building asking for directions to the other building). Once inside there were no lines - just empty booths and about 20 people sitting in chairs in a 'waiting area' - I stood for about 15 minutes with a dumb look on my face and finally someone asked if they could help me. I said 'I think so, not sure if I'm in the right place and what I'm supposed to do' She took my paperwork and said 'have a seat' in this waiting area, I read 'Surfer Magazine' the date on the one I picked up was Jan 2007. About 30 min went by and they called a number - several times - apparently this was the number on the paperwork I had given them....after she said 'whose got the truck with the locks' I realized it was mine - and I was cleared to go through to Canada. So only about 2 1/2 hrs at the border - not bad I guess.

So I present my stamped ticket into the machine and the crossing barrier goes up - I'm now driving in Canada. I get about 25 yards into the country and come upon a 'weigh station' where all commercial vehicles must go through before they proceed. I follow the other trucks (do the same thing in the States) and proceed to get on the scale. I think I'm just going to go through like I do in the US because I know I'm not overweight (have to be under 26,000 lbs or I need a special license). As I roll on the scale I see the Canadian Weight and Code Enforcement Officer looking right at me and shaking her head. Then I get a red light on the scale and told to 'Park and Come In'. This isn't good.

I park on the side and bring my paperwork into the office. She asks if I had gotten the proper insurance before coming into British Columbia? I explained what I was doing - that it was my first time - and I had no idea if my company had gotten the 'correct' insurance. She explained that when she punched my license plate into the computer that no client number existed - so I didn't have BC insurance. Hmmm, I asked - 'OK - I believe my company my have not gotten the proper insurance, so what next? (meanwhile this is the only worker in the booth and trucks are going by on the scale every couple minutes without anyone checking any of their info - chalk my getting caught to bad timing I guess - but regardless I should have truck insurance when I'm driving a 40ft RV in a strange country). She points to the phone and the 1800 number for Canadian Permits and explained to me what I had to do - after her long explanation and another one of my 'deer in the headlights' look (not faking - I really didn't have a clue what she was talking about) she took pity on me and processed my paperwork right at her desk, but making sure I knew (several times) that she wasn't supposed to be doing this, and I should be doing this on my own, and that she should issue me a citation (insurance was supposed to be done before I came into Canada) - she charged me $103 fee and handed me a permit - making me legal to drive into Canada! So I'm off - lucky I have a GPS with Canada loaded on it - so I shouldn't get too lost.

Actually working in Canada was the same as the US - uneventful and boring. Only difference is everything is $20 bucks. Wanna eat $20 bucks - Wanna a couple beers $20 bucks.

So I worked in Canada from Tuesday - Friday and supposed to leave Canada Monday. No thanks, too expensive (hotel was over my budget - food and drink had me loosing money each day, weather was cold and rainy) - And I had been in Vancouver not too long ago for the Black Eyed Peas - so I had seen most of the sights.

See ya Canada - I decided to head back on Friday after work instead of waiting till Monday. I knew where to cross now, and kind of thought I knew the process - but surprise - this was worse than coming in.

I follow all the Commercial Vehicle signs and know from my paperwork and my discussion with my Customs Broker that before I leave Canada I have to have my 'Temporary Import Bond' released (you pay taxes if they think you brought freight into Canada and sold it there). Because I wasn't picking anything up or leaving anything behind the company gets the 'Bond' money back once I get the stamps saying I am coming back to the US with all I brought in. I'm looking everywhere for signs for the 'Canadian Border Service Agency' (CBSA) where I am told to go to get my 'Bond' released - I'm told this is 'VERY IMPORTANT' and must be done before I leave Canada.

Seeing no signs (except for 'Duty Free' store signs) I pull up to the border (like I did on the way into Canada) hand over my Passport, and ask the Border Agent where the CSBA is located so I can get my document stamped before I leave. I am now dealing with a US Customs officer - he's not interested in where the CSBA is, and doesn't really care - he and asks me for my form 4455 and explains to me that I'm already in the US. UH Oh. I have no clue what form 4455 is and know somehow I need to get my Canadian documents stamped. He assumes that before I came into Canada I filled out a form 4455 right? Um, No. I don't know what he's talking about and have no such form. He tells me this form lets the US know what freight I brought into Canada and what I'm bringing back to the US. Apparently I was supposed to stop at my Custom Broker on the US side - got this form before I stopped again in Canada and got those forms. My instructions didn't say anything about that - neither did the Customs Broker in Canada. The Border Agent asks me lots of questions about what I was doing in Canada and what kind of work I was doing - then takes pity on me (explains what I needed to do, and what to do for next time, continues to tell me 'more government bs' (his words) and gives me a release stamp on a new form that I then give to another agent at the barrier crossing and I'm good to go and back in the US.

I tell him how thankful I am for him letting me go, but I still need to get back to Canada to get the 'Bond' released. He thinks it over and once again tells me that I'm already in the US. I ask if I can back up? that's not an option. I then ask if there is somewhere I can park and walk back into Canada to get the 'Bond' release stamp? He says I can try parking around the corner (before I give the US stamped paper to the barrier crossing). I go and park; now I am trying to get back to Canada on foot to get a stamp for my freight that is now already in the US.

In order for me to get back to Canada to get my 'Bond' released the US Border Agent says "I guess walk back along the road I drove in on". I am now walking (in the rain) alongside a line of trucks that are waiting to get into the US. I just entered Canada again (without anyone checking my passport or anything -- I'm waiting for Canadian Customs to come out with their guns drawn and ask why I'm illegally entering their country). I head towards the 'Duty Free' store because all the other buildings are across the street (15 lanes of border traffic). I ask around where to get the 'Bond' released - I'm pointed towards the same building I got it stamped the first time - across the street. I am asked if I want to cross by some worker with a funny accent (sounded English, not Canadian) and I said I guess I have too. At this point I am wondering if I should be selling oranges and sunglasses like in Mexico - I'm the only pedestrian in the traffic. I make it across like 'frogger' and end up at the same counter where I got the first stamp and asked if this is where I go to get my 'Bond' revoked - I was quickly corrected that the term was 'released' not revoked and asked 'where are you parked?'. I know they want to have the truck on the Canadian side in case they want to look in it to see if I'm transporting anything that's not on my 'Bond'. I happen to get the same Canadian Border agent that checked me in the first time (on Monday) - so she's kind of friendly and remembers me and my RV. I explain that my RV is already in the US and I got 'confused' on where to go to get my stamp. She shakes her head and stamps my paperwork (US Customs said they'll probably make me drive back into Canada). Thank Goodness! only 2 hrs at the border so far coming back to the US.

Now I have the correct stamps, my 'Bond' has been released, and I'm off to walk back to the US (across 15 lanes of Border traffic again). I can't walk back through the Border the same way I came in because it's full of trucks and there is no walkway for pedestrians. So I ask a couple US Border agents how to get to my truck that's already on the US side - they ask me what I was doing walking around and I explained to them about the 'Bond' and stamps and forms and that I got 'confused' but that I have a release stamp - I just need to get to my truck. They looked at me (didn't check any documents) and told me to walk around the building - I'm back in the US and at my RV.

FINALLY! I had the release stamp to the barrier crossing and I'm back in Washington. I've never been so happy to be in Washington.

I don't go back to Canada till Summer - next time Toronto - so will be totally different buildings to try and find - but at least I know what not to do.