The Liberal government recently put new legislations in place that will increase the amount of information exchanged between Canada and the U.S. about travellers crossing the border. Now, people who spend more than 120 days per year in the United States can be subjected to U.S. tax deductions on their annual incomes.
The new legislation has raised a lot of concern from members of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, who are worried that it will cause some truckers to exit the market and create shortages in the industry. The alliance is currently in the process of ironing out the details of the fine print. They want clarification on what U.S. officials consider a full day spent in the country when truckers make deliveries, as well as several other items listed in the legislation. So far, they report that feedback and communications have been positive.
If you’re looking to pursue a career in transport operations, let’s take a look at a few ways that this tightening of border security could affect the future of the industry.
1. Record Keeping May Increase for Careers in Transport Operations
Working as a dispatcher is an option you’ll have once you launch your career in transport operations, and these professionals are already adept at keeping records. When scheduling drivers for upcoming deliveries, dispatchers have to pay close attention to how many hours on the road truckers spend each week. This is because of hours of service regulations, which are designed to limit the amount of time drivers spend on the road on a given day in order to ensure their safety.
In addition to keeping track of hours of service, you might need to consider how many hours and days truckers spend on the road while in the U.S. with the new legislation. It shouldn’t be more complicated than adding an extra column to their timesheets. Dispatch software will also allow you to know when drivers pull up to the U.S. border, so you can use that information to easily make note of when they enter and exit the country.
2. Pros in Transport Operations Careers May Have to Put More Focus on Route Planning
In some of the roles that you’ll qualify for after transportation training—such as dispatcher or transport operations specialist—route planning could become a regular part of your job. Route planning involves strategically laying out the most efficient route that truckers take to make deliveries, in order to save time, manpower, and money.
With the new border legislation, trips to the US can be cut considerably shorter with good route planning. That way, drivers who would normally spend a day off in the country after making a drop could use that time for a return trip so that they have less of a chance of reaching the time limit for dual taxation. A little extra effort on the administrative side of transport operations could save drivers money in the long run.
Choose a transport training school that will fully prepare you for a career in today’s evolving job market.
Visit CATI for program details.
