Ok, so I know a lot of you will have transponders so this probably doesn’t have any bearing on you, but what’s with the ‘User fee ?’ Most times when I cross back into the USA I am sent to the main building to pay my $10.75 before entering, but over time I have noticed it seems to be up to the mood of the crossing guard. My first trip up to Nova Scotia I returned via Houlton ME and the guard was a friendly bloke who chatted to me for a short while, then sent me on my way without a fee, all other crossings I have been made to pay, usually buy some nasty git who seems to hate his or her job. Yesterday at Champlain border the guard was a really nice bloke, there was no line of trucks waiting for a start, we chatted about the UK and Europe for about 10 minutes before he said “Ok, off you go”
“What about the user fee ?” I asked.
“No user fee this time Pat, se you again sometime”
Now answer this… Is the user fee just an amount they charge those they are not to sure of ? is it a totally un-needed way to take money for the government ? I just do not see how it can at one point be regulation and the next not be enforced.
noticed the double post there pat , another sign of advancing years when you get those tremors in your fingers …….
I’ve only had one truck that didn’t have the transponder label thing in the wind screen. Houlton, ME would charge me 99% of the time, while Port Huron, MI which was my other main crossing point would only charge me 50% of the time. I never had to go in to the building though, I always paid cash at the gate and that was that.
Had to pay the fee twice before but both were in rentals
The crossing at Queenston is strange, some day’s it’s really nice bloke and other times you can get a real ■■■■■■■ that just grunts orders at you, then you park up and walk to room 116 in the building, sometimes you are greeted with a smile and a 'You must be Pat, $10.75 please" I pay and walk out, next time I walk in and there’s nobody else waiting and it’s “Put your paperwork in the tray and go to the waiting room please” I sit in the waiting room for 10 minutes and they call me back “$10.75 please ?” on Wednesday I sat in the waiting room and the PA system asked for “Patricia to room 116” I just sat there, after a while a very irate lady stormed in, “Where’s Patricia ?”
“Only me here” I said.
“What’s your name ?”
“Patrick”
“Then it’s you, you really need to learn to write clearly” … Yeah, and you need to learn some manners mrs.
Haven’t crossed at Queenston/Lewiston for years. Always go Fort Erie/Buffalo there. Another plus point for Fort Erie is that your EZ pass pays for the bridge and doesn’t at Queenston, or at least it didn’t 5 years ago.
Most US Customs I’ve come across ain’t to bad but you always get that one ■■■■■■■ with an attitude
Pat Hasler:
“Then it’s you, you really need to learn to write clearly” …
To be know from now as Dr Pat 
I remember having to wait in that room Pat, they tend to be the very definition of arrogant in there. I used to suffer them regularly back in 2009 when doing in-bond loads from the east coast ports to Toronto. When it later transpired that a load cleared for Queenston was also good for Fort Erie and vice versa, I never graced the place again. Another plus for Fort Erie is that theres a massive truckstop about 2 miles from the border on the Canadian side. Used to be an Ultramar but since last year or late 2012 its a Flying J.
Sunday morning we had 13 trucks crossing at Blaine WA. Border.
Lead driver ( concert tour ), had to go in clear the bond for all 13 trucks, by the time he got that done lot was full of local guys that cross every day. It was like a demolition derby trying to get to the booth. At 1 time it was 4 wide trying to get to the one and only booth open.
It took me 3 1/2 hrs to get through between these freight haulers and all the turban wearers from BC. These frikkin idiots would rather hit your truck instead of having to wait a second more.
Got to the booth showed Brit passport payed my 10.75. Woman at booth was pleasant as could be, asked her if it was like this everyday she told me she’s seen days where drivers are actually exchanging blows. But nothing can be done about it.
So moral to this story is try and avoid crossing at Blaine Washington if at all possible.
I like Pat sometimes I have to pay other times I don’t.
I’ve only crossed at Blaine once and it was supposed to be in to Canada, except there was an issue with my PARS and the customs broker couldn’t be bothered to sort it and just went home (they only worked 8-5!!!)…got refused entry in to Canada and escorted back to the US, fortunately no issues like you describe as it was something like 1 in the morning. Then had to find somewhere to park in Blaine in the pitch dark, bloody place.
There’s a small J bout 10 mins south of the border but it fills up early
taffytrucker:
There’s a small J bout 10 mins south of the border but it fills up early
I went to a small truckstop right near the border that has some ram shackle truck parking on the other side of the road. There were signs demanding payment for parking but I didn’t bother. The parking situation seems even worse in BC, how does any one ever get parked in that bloody place? I’m sure locals and those that frequent it know where to stop but from the border at Blaine to Kelowna I hardly say any parking at all.
New Brunswick obviously isn’t El Dorado but we have superb truckstops and facilities all the way from the Quebec border down to Nova Scotia. In the 515ish km of Trans Canada highway from one end to the other we have no less than 11 large truckstops with ample parking and high quality showers.
They share a car park with the hotel only a few free spots for the J. The west coast is pretty bad for parking. Gets lot better as you head east I find