Truckers Reveal What Really Happens When You Leave Michigan for Canada

While many Michigan residents and drivers may not realize it, the state serves as a vital link to the trucking of goods across the continent. Border crossing at Detroit/Windsor, Port Huron/Sarnia and Sault Ste. Marie are among the busiest in the nation.

While crossing the international border is likely a rare occurrence for you, for the trucking community, it can happen with regularity and what exactly happens at border crossings may go deeper than checking a passport.

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The question has come up on the Trucking subreddit of Reddit asking what happens to drivers at the border.

What Customs Agents Already Know

They know you're coming. Don't be surprised if you get greeted by name. Customs agents in both countries are generally sent a manifest by the shipping companies so when a truck's licence plate is scanned, the information about the driver and load are already available to the agents. If something you say doesn't match, it'll be a red flag.

Canada's Strict Weapon Regulations

Crossing into Canada? Leave your guns and other weapons like knives at home. Canada's gun regulations are much more strict than in the United States, so truckers who may regularly and legally carry in the US without a second thought need to be very cognizant of guns at the crossings.

A Canadian trucker shared:

I saw American drivers getting arrested all the time, and the vast majority of them were undeclared weapons. They will use a canine, they will use two or three officers, and they will toss your cab, your bunk, boxes, personal items of a headache rack, toolboxes.

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Prepared to be searched at any time for any reason. That includes both your load and your belongings in the cab. Michigan's international crossings are all busy and have an abundance of commercial traffic. Smaller land crossings may not have a dedicated truck lane and drivers must stop and head inside the border station to declare themselves.

Expectations During a Border Search

Be nice. Always.

Be polite but customs is not your friend. They will occasionally try to trip you up. Listen to their questions and answer them. Answer only what they ask - do not volunteer any information.

If they accuse you of giving them attitude, apologize. Don’t pick a fight with them, it’s not worth it.

But don't expect a neat reordering if your truck gets tossed by agents. Experiences vary on the condition of a trucker's personal effect and goods after a search.

Ehh… They try to but they don’t do it very well.

It depends on who and their mood. Ultimately, they can leave your truck in pieces if they want to.

It’s usually disheveled but not completely out of order. They’re looking for illegal activity. If you are not breaking the law you have nothing to worry about.

And they really can search anything, as this trucker relates, "They even opened up my lunch box."

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Bottom line, both the trucker and the border patrol agent are there to do a job. If each respects the other the crossing can go smoothly even with the inherent inconveniences of international trade.