Skip to content

RR-ROAD SERVICES CROSS-BORDER

03 · Cross-border trucking, US ↔ Canada

California to Ontario. The border, planned.

Our main run is Los Angeles to Toronto and back. Open-deck freight crosses the border on the same truck, with the paperwork lined up before it leaves the yard.

Get a quote (559) 999-4191 Text us
UNITED STATES CANADA Toronto ON · EAST END Los Angeles CA · WEST END FRESNO · HOME BASE ABOUT 2,500 MILES
Main lane, schematic. Each load’s roads and border crossing are set by its size and permits.

How the border works

ACE going south. ACI going north. A customs broker on both.

Most delays at the border are paperwork that was not ready. Before a truck reaches a commercial crossing, the carrier has to send the shipment’s details to customs electronically — to US Customs and Border Protection going south, to the Canada Border Services Agency going north — and the importer’s customs broker has to have the entry ready to match it. When those two things meet, the truck clears. When they do not, it waits.

So a cross-border quote with us starts with the border, not the miles: who the importer is, which customs broker is handling the entry, and what the commercial invoice will say. We line that up with you and your broker before pickup.

Oversize freight adds a second layer. Each Canadian province issues its own oversize and overweight permits, with its own rules on dimensions, travel times and escorts — and the route on both sides of the border has to be one the permits allow. That is planned as part of the quote.

Good for

What this is built to carry.

  • 01 Machinery and equipment moving between California and Ontario
  • 02 Step deck freight — machinery, steel, building materials — crossing either way
  • 03 Heavy equipment on the RGN, including permitted oversize loads
  • 04 One-off moves and repeat lanes alike

How we run it

A cross-border load, start to finish.

  1. Quote with the border details

    Pickup, delivery and the load — plus who the importer of record is and which customs broker is handling the entry.

  2. Paperwork before wheels roll

    The commercial invoice and your broker’s details travel with the load, and the cargo number that ties the truck to your customs entry is shared with your broker before pickup.

  3. Electronic manifest

    We send the shipment’s details to the border agency ahead of arrival, as every cross-border carrier must — CBP’s ACE eManifest heading into the US, CBSA’s ACI eManifest heading into Canada.

  4. Cross and deliver

    At a commercial port of entry the truck, driver and load are presented to customs; once released, the freight continues to delivery with the bill of lading signed at the dock.

Before you book

Three things that make the quote right first time.

Note 01

Choose your customs broker early

The importer of record usually appoints a licensed customs broker. Have them ready before booking — we coordinate with them, not instead of them.

Note 02

Get the commercial invoice right

A clear description, value, country of origin and the importer’s details. Most border holds trace back to an invoice that does not match the freight.

Note 03

Clean used equipment

Equipment carrying soil or plant material is refused entry to Canada and ordered removed, at the importer’s cost. Wash it before pickup.

Questions

Cross-border, answered.

01 Do I need a customs broker?

Almost always, yes. Commercial freight crossing the border needs a customs entry made by the importer, and most importers use a licensed customs broker to do it. We coordinate with your broker; we do not replace them.

02 Can you move freight between two cities in Canada?

No. As a US carrier we can haul freight into Canada and out of Canada, but the cabotage rules do not allow us to carry a load from one Canadian point to another. A move like Toronto to Montréal needs a Canadian carrier.

03 Which border crossing do you use?

It depends on the load and the route. Oversize freight must use the crossing and the roads its permits allow, so we choose the crossing as part of planning your move rather than defaulting to one.

04 How long does Los Angeles to Toronto take?

It is about 2,500 miles, and the real answer depends on the load, permits, federal hours-of-service rules and the border. We give you a pickup and delivery plan with the quote instead of a number that was never going to be true.

05 Do you run Canada to the US as well?

Yes. The lane runs both ways — freight from Ontario to California is as welcome as freight going east.

Also from RR Road

01 Step deck trucking Tall freight lifted on by forklift or crane — machinery, equipment, steel and building materials. 02 RGN & lowboy heavy haul Excavators, dozers, loaders and tall machinery — driven on, carried low, permitted when oversize.

Start a load

Got the dimensions? Get a number.

Send the pickup, the delivery and the size and weight of the load. We come back with a price and a plan — trailer, route, and permits if it needs them.

Get a quote (559) 999-4191 Text us

A quote needs

  1. 01 Pickup and delivery City and state or province — a ZIP or postal code is even better.
  2. 02 What it is Make and model for equipment; a plain description for anything else.
  3. 03 Length × width × height To the highest and widest point, including anything that sticks out.
  4. 04 Weight The operating or shipping weight, with attachments.
  5. 05 How it loads Drives on, forklift, crane or dock — at both ends.
  6. 06 When it is ready A date, or a window.