Canada to US border crossing
Just crossed from Canada to US in Houlton ME. Great experience, very professional, friendly. Good job!
Forum Discussion
My ol'job involved actually going to Canada to work, sometimes driving a US Gov vehicle. Depending on what was going on, this could involve up to: my crew (me and up to 5 people), a semi (two drivers), two 15 passenger vans (just about full), a pickup with three or four more and usually a handful of personal vehicles.
If I crossed at the "usual" crossing the questions where quite perfunctory as we knew both sides (Canada and US) people at least by sight, and they knew us.
If any of us crossed at one of the less usual spots things sometimes got amusing.
Late one Friday night (I wanted to go home, so I left Friday after work, rather then wait for Sat AM) I was crossing at one of the more unusual spots and the US guard asked me why I was in Canada, did I have anything to declare, did... did... did. By this time the questioning was getting a little ridiculous.
Finally asked me why I was driving a US Gov vehicle (I repeated the answer to why I was in Canada).
He then asked me my Civil Service grade. I told him and he got very quiet and said I could go. As I drove away I realized that while my part of the Gov I was just a schmuck lead engineer, in his part of the Gov I was the same grade as his bosses, boss.
If I crossed at the "usual" crossing the questions where quite perfunctory as we knew both sides (Canada and US) people at least by sight, and they knew us.
If any of us crossed at one of the less usual spots things sometimes got amusing.
Late one Friday night (I wanted to go home, so I left Friday after work, rather then wait for Sat AM) I was crossing at one of the more unusual spots and the US guard asked me why I was in Canada, did I have anything to declare, did... did... did. By this time the questioning was getting a little ridiculous.
Finally asked me why I was driving a US Gov vehicle (I repeated the answer to why I was in Canada).
He then asked me my Civil Service grade. I told him and he got very quiet and said I could go. As I drove away I realized that while my part of the Gov I was just a schmuck lead engineer, in his part of the Gov I was the same grade as his bosses, boss.
