Shipping with Canada

While we tend to think of trucking as a prominent domestic freight shipping method, we sometimes neglect that many US trucking companies also frequently ship to and from Canada. Thanks in part to trade agreements such as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the US and Canada engage in annual export and import totals of over $600 Billion. Most of Canada speaks English and the US has always been in good foreign relations with Canada. And the US dollar is close in value to the Canadian Dollar (although the Canadian Dollar is currently slightly higher).

Shippers in the US and in Canada depend on cross-border shipping by truck everyday to move their freight. The freight trucking quotes for shipping to or from Canada can be similar to US rates. Some carriers might add a surcharge for US Customs for freight, but it depends on the carrier and their specific policies. Other than that, they are the same domestic trucking policies.

Recently, freight forwarders have noticed some changes in freight shipping with Canada. A few months ago, there was a 1.5% decline in year over year freight trucking (imports and exports) with Canada. Meanwhile, exports and imports to Canada by rail are up over 10% during the same period. Overall, trucking by freight is still more popular than rail freight with Canada. In fact, road crossings with Canada outnumber rail crossings with a 3 to 1 advantage. Still, shippers should consider all options for shipping with Canada to see what might work best for their supply chain.