ViaSafe

[Moot]

Friday night I picked up a load in Winnipeg, going to Grand Island, NE. Panther instructed me to fax paperwork with PAPS to FedEx Brokerage. So I did. See I can do what I am told. I waited about 15 minutes and called FedEx. They received my paperwork and said it was number 5 in the pile and to call back in 45 minutes and they should have an entry number for me.

So I left the shipper and two minutes later Panther qc'd me with instructions to fax all paperwork to ViaSafe and listed the fax number. I explained via the qc that I had sent everything to FedEx as originally instructed. Well after about 10 messages back and forth I got a phone call from Panther and the nice man insisted I fax to ViaSafe. He verbally gave me the fax number but would not give a phone number. He said he would call me when I cleared.

So about 20 miles from the border I stopped at a little truck stop and faxed to ViaSafe. Got a printed receipt that confirmed the fax was successful. It even included a picture of the coversheet.

Two hours later I checked with Panther. No word from ViaSafe yet. An hour after that Panther sent a qc message that ViaSafe received the paperwork but every page was blank. So this time I got ViaSafe's phone number and re-faxed the paperwork.

I waited a few minutes and called ViaSafe. They confirmed receiving paperwork but told me I must fax an Ace "lead sheet." That's Canadian for cover sheet. so I opened up my Panther/Ace package of goodies. Found the proper cover sheet and sent it again.

Called ViaSafe and was told the cover sheet Panther supplied me was not an official Ace lead sheet. What I needed was one with 2 barcodes and some numbers.

Finally Karen at Panther found the correct cover sheet, filled in the information I supplied over the phone and faxed it to ViaSafe. THANK YOU KAREN!

13 hours after picking up the load and driving 80 miles to the border I was cleared to cross.

Warning: The following questions are rhetorical in nature and require no answer. I believe I know the answer!


If Panther insists on going through ViaSafe why was I originally instructed to use FedEX?

If Panther insists on using ViaSafe why can't they supply drivers with the proper lead sheet?

 

[pelicn]

Moot is this the cover sheet you faxed? Or, did they need a different one?

http://portal.pantherexpedite.com/driverweb/pdf/ViaSafe Fax Cover Sheet.pdf

 

[Turtle]

...told me I must fax an Ace "lead sheet." That's Canadian for cover sheet.

Actually, the ViaSafe folks are on the US side.

I see you've done a lot of inbound loads from Canada recently, like, in the last year.

ViaSafe is kind of a clearing house /slash/ database manager for US Customs. Everything gets faxed to ViaSafe, where they input everything from the lead sheet (they call it that because it must be the first, or lead, sheet, because of the bar codes that the computer reads) into the database, then forward the invoices and manifest to the broker. The broker then clears the load though customs, and then gives ViaSafe the clearance code.

Then, ViaSafe creates the E-Manifest (that's Electronic Manifest, duh) and inputs it into the US Customs computer system with the Filer Code and Clearance Code. ViaSafe then e-mails Panther with the Filer and Clearance codes, who then QC's it to you, the professional driver. You may then proceed to the customs border where you hand over your ID and the E-Manifest lead sheet, which has your license plate number on it, and that's what the whole thing is tied to in the database and the Customs people. Customs checks the plate against the one on your truck and the one listed with the Filer Code, and if it all matches, you're good to go (unless they still want to x-ray you or inspect you, anyway).

Incidentally, because everything is tied to your license plate, and because ViaSafe will go by the information that they have been given by Panther about the driver(s) and the vehicle, if you get a new plate you have to make a absolutely sure that Panther updates the plate number with ViaSafe before you accept another load out of Canada. ViaSafe will flat out ignore the new plate you have written on the lead sheet. They will go with what they already have on file for you.

If you fail to ensure that Panther updates the plate number, be prepared to give your old plate number to Customs so they can find you in the system, and explain why you are trying to clear the load with one plate and then sneak the freight across the border with a diffferent plate. Been there, done that. Twice. It was fun.

If Panther insists on going through ViaSafe why was I originally instructed to use FedEX?

Because like they say in orientation, Panther has border crossings down to a science, they are experts at it, and everyone in dispatch are well trained in all of the procedures.

If Panther insists on using ViaSafe why can't they supply drivers with the proper lead sheet?

Uhm, I've never seen the incorrect lead sheet. Unless you filled out the old, obsolete PAPS Fax Cover Page form or something.

If anyone (with Panther) has a printer in the truck and wants to fill the ViaSafe form out electronically (that's Canadian for fill in the form on the laptop) and then print it out for cleaner faxing, fewer chances for mistakes and inproved legibility, I've taken the form and edited in the fields to make them electronically fillable with Acrobat Reader (and I think it works with Nitro PDF, too). Just tab between the fields and fill them out.

The stuff that doesn't change often (drivers, license, VIN, plate, cell phone, etc) you should fill those in and save it as a new copy, then use that copy for all future ViaSafe loads. Just don't save it again after filling it out with the current load information, or you'll just have to replace that stuff every time you do a new load out of Canada.

ViaSafe Fillable Electronic Form

 

[Moot]

Thank you Pelcn and Turtle for the copy of the correct coversheet. The one I used, it came in my handy ACE packet, had that 2 headed logo thing and under that ACE Electronic Manifest.

Actually, the ViaSafe folks are on the US side.

That may be, but both times I talked with him he sounded like a Canuck, eh!

I see you've done a lot of inbound loads from Canada recently, like, in the last year.

Yeah! Most of my loads out of Canada are pre-dispatched before I even deliver the Canadian bound load. Otherwise I usually get 6 to 8 load offers within 15 minutes of delivering and pick and choose the best one. (insert smiley face here)