The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations have agreed to work together in a push to allow for greater flexibility in the movement of empty trailers by foreign truck drivers.
Immigration laws in both Canada and the United States do not currently allow for foreign drivers to reposition empty trailers if they have been disconnected from the power unit that brought them across the border. Immigration restrictions in both nations hamper the ability of carriers to spot trailers, which for many of their customers is part of an inventory management system.
“By liberalization, we mean if a Canadian driver delivers a loaded trailer in the United States, he or she should be able to pick up an empty trailer and reposition it to another location. The same would go for a US driver in Canada,” said Margaret Irwin, director of customs, immigration, and cross-border operations with the ATA.
“ATA's policy supports liberalizing certain cabotage rules as long as Canada reciprocates,” said Irwin. “It's a question of how to most efficiently operate equipment and drivers.”