Looks like somewhere along the rules were changed.
A friend of mine from Ontario and with CTX are doing just this.
The following information sheet from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) covers cabotage rules for Canadian drivers and includes contact information: http://www.highwaystarmagazine.com/cabotage.pdf
An exerpt from FMCSA:
4. Use of Canadian-based Vehicles for Domestic Transportation. Generally, the use of Canadian-based vehicles for domestic movement of merchandise is prohibited. There is one exception. A domestic movement incidental to the immediate prior or subsequent engagement of a vehicle in international transportation is allowed. Incidental is defined as in the general direction of an export move or as part of the return movement to their base country. It includes a movement en route to the pick-up of an export move. For example, a Toronto, ON-based carrier transports merchandise originating in Toronto and
terminating in Miami, FL. The vehicle can then be used to pick up merchandise in Miami for delivery to St Louis, MO (a domestic move) where an export move will be picked up for delivery to Canada. The movement of merchandise from Miami to St Louis is considered incidental to the immediate prior or subsequent engagement of such vehicle in international transportation. The Canadian-based vehicle can also transport a domestic move in the general direction of an export move and then immediately return empty to Canada.
The purpose of this change in cabotage regulations was to allow more efficient and economical utilization of vehicles both domestically and internationally.
That said NOW this is an INS rule:
Purely domestic service (point-to-point within the U.S.) is not permitted.
Solicitation, in competition with U.S. operators, is not permitted. This means that a Canadian-based driver cannot solicit a return load for delivery to Canada while in the U.S. Any return load must be pre-arranged
That would mean that Canadian carriers you see waiting for loads in say Laredo that would not be allowed under the INS version.
A friend of mine from Ontario and with CTX are doing just this.
The following information sheet from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) covers cabotage rules for Canadian drivers and includes contact information: http://www.highwaystarmagazine.com/cabotage.pdf
An exerpt from FMCSA:
4. Use of Canadian-based Vehicles for Domestic Transportation. Generally, the use of Canadian-based vehicles for domestic movement of merchandise is prohibited. There is one exception. A domestic movement incidental to the immediate prior or subsequent engagement of a vehicle in international transportation is allowed. Incidental is defined as in the general direction of an export move or as part of the return movement to their base country. It includes a movement en route to the pick-up of an export move. For example, a Toronto, ON-based carrier transports merchandise originating in Toronto and
terminating in Miami, FL. The vehicle can then be used to pick up merchandise in Miami for delivery to St Louis, MO (a domestic move) where an export move will be picked up for delivery to Canada. The movement of merchandise from Miami to St Louis is considered incidental to the immediate prior or subsequent engagement of such vehicle in international transportation. The Canadian-based vehicle can also transport a domestic move in the general direction of an export move and then immediately return empty to Canada.
The purpose of this change in cabotage regulations was to allow more efficient and economical utilization of vehicles both domestically and internationally.
That said NOW this is an INS rule:
Purely domestic service (point-to-point within the U.S.) is not permitted.
Solicitation, in competition with U.S. operators, is not permitted. This means that a Canadian-based driver cannot solicit a return load for delivery to Canada while in the U.S. Any return load must be pre-arranged
That would mean that Canadian carriers you see waiting for loads in say Laredo that would not be allowed under the INS version.
