Have you ever wondered how items that are made in Mexico make it back into the United States? How about raw materials coming from Mexico? What’s the process they take when they come into the States? All freight coming from Mexico and entering the United States legally must pass through a recognized port of entry; to do that, the freight company has to be prepared.
Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork
Ah, paperwork. The government loves it, and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has definitely adhered to that fondness. The CBP likes its paperwork very much. A good freight company will know just how important paperwork is and will know how and what to do.
One important step that experienced companies will take is to call the port prior to the shipment arriving. That phone call can make sure that all the paperwork has been done correctly and that the freight company will be able to pass smoothly through the port. If the company gets lazy and doesn’t make the call, paperwork verification may not be completed in a timely manner and delays will probably happen.
When the truck is ready to cross the border, the driver has to have a bill of sale, commercial invoice or proof of bond. The truck also needs to have a government-issued permit. There may also need to be a need for immigration documentation.
International Carrier Bond
Trucking companies have to have an international carrier bond. These are only issued from federally-approved Sureties. The chosen Surety has to be able to write CBP bonds on a certain form. Your trucking company should have an International Carrier bond. In order to have that, they must have contacted a Surety that has been approved by the government. The Surety must be able to write Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bonds on a specific form; it must be written on CBP Form 301. Once that bond is secured, the company can file the bond at whichever port they use most frequently.
Driver Issues
Now that the paperwork has been filed and the bonds have been approved, the freight is ready to cross the border. But, if the driver is not able to pass the border, the truck will not enter the United States. It will be stopped at the port and the driver will be detained. There are lots of reasons a driver wouldn’t be allowed to come into the country. All of them stop the shipment.
DUI convictions are never a good thing. But, if the freight driver has one, they could be barred from reentering the United States. Just one infraction will probably not stop the driver from entering, but if the driver has more than one, that could be a problem. Also, the severity of the crime may also affect the driver’s status.