Categories
INTERNATIONAL LTL TL

Shipping to and from Canada: What to expect at the border

Many first time shippers are a little overwhelmed when they have to deal with customs and clearance for the first time. It is a good idea to employ a customs broker right away and they can help alleviate some of the stress of shipping. It really doesn’t have to be a source of stress and hopefully we can help make the process smoother for you as well.
The first thing is to find out the value of your shipment if you aren’t already aware of that. When importing or exporting there is a process for Low Value shipping that you can follow. If your shipment is worth less than $2500 CAD you will qualify to go this route and not require a broker.
With this, all you need is an invoice with all the pertinent information on it in regards to your load. This includes information on where your items originated from, any serial numbers and a value associated with your full shipment. You will also need a copy of the BOL (bill of lading) for the carrier to produce at customs. If your load is more than $2500 CAD then you will have to clear it with a customs broker. They do not have to be pricey and there are several good brokers you can choose from starting as low as $30 USD. They will help you gather all the paperwork necessary to clear your load at the border.
  • Canada/US Customs Invoice, or a Commercial Invoice also called a PROFORMA
  • BOL (Bill of Lading)
  • Certificate of origin 
  • Shipper
Categories
TL

Specialty or Over-Dimensional Freight

Do you have a sailboat to move to Hawaii? We are not all so lucky to be in this bind, but some people are and there are many rules to consider when shipping freight of this magnitude.  Perhaps you have a large dozer or heavy piece of farm equipment to move and not quite sure how to get it from the auction to your ranch. Or maybe you are leading a special project requiring several loads for a company move or construction of a new facility.  No matter what your dilemma is, we consider it an opportunity to take care of you by helping you answer the many questions surrounding the logistics of your move. 

  • How will it be loaded and unloaded? 
  • Will it need special permits? 
  • Will it need escorts?
  • Is drayage included in the cost? What is drayage?
  • Can it go by rail, or does it need to move OTR – Over the Road? 
  • Can it go RORO, or is this a crane lift? 
  • Are there customs or border crossing agents needed? 
The good news is we are here to help. Go123 Logistics team members have led many special projects and our capabilities ensure your freight will be handled with care and 

For boats on a trailer, this is considered what we call RORO – or Roll On, Roll Off freight.  If it is a water delivery and not on a trailer, then it will be crane lifted and the client will need to provide a lifting diagram so we can accommodate a quote since the crane will be lifting the boat out of the water and onto the cradle, also provided by the client, along with blocks for support and security. 
For over-dimensional shipments – we are in a whole other world of over-width, over-weight, over-height and over-length permits and each permit cost varies from state to state. Police escorts also charge depending on how many lanes the road has, or if there is a bridge between point A & point B. Also there are tolls to consider along with traffic and border crossings. The client will also need to provide all the necessary paperwork for the customs agents at border crossings.  
Obviously when shipments this large move, time is another consideration. These things take more time to load and offload and the client needs to be aware of the ticktock of the clock.  Some crane rentals are by the hour or by the day, so the team needs to be on point from start to finish, which is just another nuance of our level of assistance here at Go123 Logistics. 
If you happen to be loading & unloading between 2 cities that offer rail service, this can be the most economical way to ship your items – but never the fastest, so make sure you have no time constraints when considering rail as an option.  This service can drop a trailer at your destination and add a fuel surcharge for the drayage – which is the time and miles to and from the ramp at the rail, whether it is going from a business, residence or port. 
Do you have questions about your special project? Need a logistics leader to spearhead an extraordinary shipment? We are here to help. Fill out our quote form now and we will contact you to discuss your needs. 
Categories
NEWS TL

Self – Driving Trucks?

News You Can Use!

Embark

Categories
CLASS LTL TL

Avoiding Extra Charges for Specialty Freight

When it comes to shipping, few products have seen more changes than beer, wine, tobacco and alcohol. Regulations are often changing, along with shipping rates…so how do winemakers and beer brewers keep up with the ever-changing market? These constant changes make the process of getting products into the hands of customers that much more complex.
Traditionally, wineries, breweries and distributors would start their research into shipping by getting quotes for Full Truckload (FTL) and Less Than truckload (LTL) shipments from carriers which can take several hours or days on hold, not to mention, and not guaranteeing great rates as a direct customer. Luckily, however, today

Categories
NEWS TL

Electronic Logging Devices: Safety or Harassment?

Truckers across the country are up in arms over the Federally Mandated Electronic Logging Devices. If I am honest, the first time this mandate was brought to my attention I thought

Categories
NEWS TL

3 Year Record High Rates!

November Rates for Truckload Break a 3 year record high with an 18 month streak since June 2014!
The North American Freight Index showed the availability is 39% lower in truckloads. That means Vans & Flatbeds prices are all up with Reefer costs holding strong & steady..

We do our homework at Go123 

  • We use our GGI (God Given Intelligence) before rating our customers. 
  • We cross reference several markets which we pay heavy fees to be a member with to develop the best price for our customers.
  • We study resources like Inbound Logistics for logistics and supply chain articles for news and tools to prepare for the long haul!

Several large carriers like Estes & YRC Freight are opening up opportunities across the Americas. We currently have a competitive advantage as more lanes open up going into Mexico & Canada markets.

More News You Can Use!

Predictions for La Ni

Categories
TL zBLOG

ELD Mandate – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The ELD is basically an electronic logging device

Categories
CLASS LTL TL

NMFC Codes

The National Motor Freight Classification

Categories
TL zBLOG

TL 101 – Truckload

TL is the transportation of large amounts of homogeneous cargo, generally the amount necessary to fill an entire semi-trailer or intermodal container (refrigerated). A truckload carrier is a trucking company that generally contracts an entire trailer-load to a single customer. This is as opposed to a less than truckload (LTL) company that generally mixes freight from several customers in each trailer. One advantage Full Truckload (FTL) carriers have over Less than Truckload carriers is that the freight is never handled en route, whereas an LTL shipment will typically be transported on several different trailers. As with LTL, TL should also be packaged or loaded onto pallets for unit loads. Sturdy shipping containers such as crates or corrugated fiberboard boxes are commonly used . 
A typical full truckload for a dry van trailer consists of 24 standard pallets of cargo that weighs up to 42,000 lbs. (or more).