OTTAWA — The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations have launched a joint lobbying campaign for more flexibility in the movement of empty trailers by foreign truck drivers.

Immigration laws in both Canada and the U.S. currently do not allow foreign drivers to reposition empty trailers from point to point if they have been disconnected from the power unit that brought them across the border. Indeed immigration restrictions in both Canada and the U.S. hamper the ability of carriers to spot trailers, which for many of their customers is part of an inventory management system, argues the CTA in a press release.

“By liberalization we mean, if a Canadian driver delivers a loaded trailer in the U.S., he or she should be able to pick up an empty trailer and reposition it to another location. The same would go for a US driver in Canada,” said Margaret Irwin, Director of Customs, Immigration and Cross-Border Operations with the American Trucking Associations, in statement.

ATA’s policy supports liberalizing certain cabotage rules as long as Canada reciprocates, said Irwin. “It’s a question of how to most efficiently operate equipment and drivers.”

“Both countries need to move in harmony on this issue, so the result will be fair for both,” CTA Vice President of Trade and Security Ron Lennox.