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Customs requirements. Trucks
that are based outside the U.S. that are engaged in international traffic,
arriving with cargo designed for points in the U.S. may be admitted
without formal entry of duty. All cargo must be manifested on a Customs
form Inward Cargo Manifest (CF 7533).
Drivers are responsible
for payment of a Customs User Fee. A yearly decal may be purchased
for $100 or drivers may instead pay a fee of $5 for each crossing.
Insurance. To
gain entry into the U.S., a Canadian trucker must file certificates
of financial responsibility and have proof of insurance. A Canadian
insurer enters into an arrangement with an American insurer under which
the U.S. insurer does the necessary filings for the Canadian carrier
and provides proof of insurance and the U.S. insurer "reinsures" the
risk back to the Canadian insurer.
The onus
is on the carrier to ensure that provincial and state insurance requirements
are fully understood and complied with. Go
to Transport Canada's NAFTA Resource Manual.
Inspection, Repair
and Maintenance. Carriers must have a written maintenance
schedule for each commercial motor vehicle outlining routine vehicle
maintenance and the due dates for each type of maintenance. Parts
and accessories must be in safe and proper operating condition at
all times. More
information.
Mud Flaps. A
commercial vehicle, except a truck tractor traversing between terminals
at a speed not to exceed 25 miles per hour, and a combination of a
commercial vehicle and trailer or semitrailer, when used on a highway,
shall be so constructed or equipped as to prevent water or other road
surface substances from being thrown from the rear wheels of the vehicle. More information.
Brakes. All
commercial motor vehicles (including trailers) must be equipped with
brakes acting on all wheels. These brakes must be capable of operating
at all times. More information.
Air
emissions. EPA established a national program regulating, as
a group, heavy-duty vehicles and their fuel. New emission standards
will begin to take effect in model year 2007 and are based on the
use of high-efficiency, catalytic exhaust emission-control devices
or comparably effective advanced technologies. More information.
Because
these catalytic devices are damaged by sulfur, the EPA also is reducing,
by 97 percent, the level of sulfur permitted in highway diesel fuel;
the effective date is mid-2006. The program gives substantial flexibility
to refiners, especially small operations, and engine/vehicle manufacturers,
to help them implement the new requirements in the most cost-efficient
manner.
Safety Devices. Full
trailers must be equipped with safety device that prevents accidental
separation. More
information.
Vehicle and Load
Size. It is vital that carriers and drivers understand the size
requirements (height, width, length and weight) for commercial motor
vehicles operating on Michigan highways. State roadways have use
restrictions placed on them by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) for use by commercial motor vehicles. Restrictions are based
on vehicle size and the time of year. More
information.
Michigan Weight
and Axle Loads. Maximum load limits may depend on the following:
- What type of highway
you are operating on (see highway types).
- The number of
axles and the distance (spacing) between the axles or axle assemblies
on which the vehicle or combination of vehicles are operated (spacing
is the distance between axles, measured from the center of one axle
to the center of another axle).
- The gross vehicle
weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles.
- Tire width (published
by the manufacturer).
Depending on the
conditions above, your vehicle may be subject to the maximums found
under the bridge formula or the normal loading standards. More
information.
Bridge Gross Weight
Formula. The Bridge Gross Weight Formula was developed to prevent
stress to highway bridges caused by heavy trucks. The formula provides
a standard to control the spacing of truck axles and weight on those
axles. Vehicles with a gross weight of 80,000 pounds or less may
be eligible for increased weights using the Bridge Gross Weight Formula.
Vehicles exceeding a gross weight of 80,000 pounds or the gross weight
calculated using the Bridge Weight Formula are
not eligible for bridge weights (exception:
5 axle tandem tandems). More information.
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