I work in the Transportation Industry as the Director of Safety & Compliance in a trucking company.So far, we've remained steady, if not busy. We don't have driver-less trucks sitting on our yard. That has a lot to do with the way our company is run, but also a little bit of being in the right place at the right time. And the right country...
You see, millions upon millions of trucks cross the border north and south between Canada and the US each year, bringing pretty much everything you buy. Import/Export is huge business for both countries' economies. But with the US economy firmly in the crapper, one might wonder how Canadians can continue to operate tractor-trailers in the US.
The common rule should be, "If Americans want to Buy American, why wouldn't they want to Employ American?"
Well, there are a couple of reasons that has not fully taken effect. While it's true that a large number of Canadian trucking firms are experiencing a downturn, it could be much worse:
1) Canadian truck drivers generally know that working in this industry means cross-border work. They have a lot of experience with correct documentation such as passports, and shipping and customs paperwork.
2) 90% of our population lives within 150 km of the International Border, so that invisible line is not scary when you grow up next to it.
3) Due to current laws, Canadians can cross into the US even if they have had alcohol infractions in their distant past. This is not true for Americans coming into Canada. In Canada, a DUI is considered a criminal offence, but in the US, it is not looked at quite in the same way. So for example, a Canadian citizen with a DUI from 1987 can get into the US, and since he or she is a citizen of Canada, upon their return to Canada, they are welcomed back with open arms (or they're accepted begrudgingly - but that's not the point).
4) I was looking at some online forums regarding Americans and the Canadian border, and I noticed that Americans really like their guns, as it was mentioned numerous times that weapons aren't allowed in Canada. (Kind of scary thinking that they have to remind each other not to carry a gun in their truck if they want to cross into Canada...!) That may not look like much of an argument as to why US truckers don't want to come here, but the right to bear arms is very important to a large segment of the population of our southern neighbour.
Basically, I've come to the conclusion that vast numbers of Americans do not want to come into Canada even for employment purposes, for various reasons and that's not going to change too soon. To be clear, I said VAST NUMBERS, not all. So before you get on my case for stereotyping...
To finish off, it appears that Canadian cross-border truck drivers are safe for now, due to the above reasons (which are by no means an exhaustive list). But this is not something to be complacent about. This industry is so integrated in both countries that if "Employ American" were to take hold, you could be rest assured that Wal-Mart and virtually every other place of business in Canada would be emptier because of it.
That's how I see it. How do you see it?
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