Canadian's: Here is how to spend the winter in USA in your RV

[Al F]

Attention Canadians:  Here is how to get your RV into the USA so you can spend the winter here:  🙂

Quote

With land crossing the U.S./Canada border closed to all except “essential” traffic, you’d think there won’t be any Canadian licensed RVs in “snowbird country’ this year. Think again. While RVers making snowbird trips aren’t classed “essential,” that doesn’t mean their rigs can’t cross the border. A commercial truck driver is classed an “essential worker,” so if a Canadian-tagged RV is loaded onto a commercial truck, it MAY be allowed across the border. There are a couple of provisos: The owner of the RV MUST be in the U.S. when the rig is hauled across the border, and if the border patrol agent is in a foul mood, he can simply declare the RV as non-essential and turn it back. Despite these uncertainties, one outfit, US Canada Auto Transport, says it’s transporting hundreds of RVs out of Canada and into Seattle, where their Canadian owners are waiting for them – having legally flown across the border.

This quote was taken from the RVTravel.com website that was in the Sunday 11/15/2020 News Release article: 

rvtravel.com/rvt-974b/?popupally_stop=subscriber&vgo_ee=I%2F3NKUjI7%2FSpoNipJSw3n3wFoqDlMHNmyq65fGLdufk%3D

 

[Darryl&Rita]

Thanks, Al. Already heard of this option, but given the extra expense, we'll pass.

[Al F]

20 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Thanks, Al. Already heard of this option, but given the extra expense, we'll pass.

And for you, double the expense.  The HDT (heavy duty truck) and the 5th wheel would need to be trucked across the border. 🙁

[Darryl&Rita]

The reports we've heard of, indicate the RV combo would be delivered as driven. Show up at a couple select airports across Canada, hand over the keys and pay the bill, your RV will meet you at the preselected airport, stateside. The RV can't cross until you're confirmed to be in the US, so there may be an overnight in an airport hotel, depending on which crossing is selected.

[2gypsies]

... and the transporter would be using your RV if an overnight would be needed?  😳

[noteven]

In the west the Vancouver BC - SeaTac WA connection for this method has been busy I understand. 

I still don’t quite understand how cities, airports, and airplanes are ok but solo travel across remote crossings are verboten.

Kinda like we blow up small businesses with lock downs but we can all herd into the Walmart I guess...

[remoandiris]

To each their own, but I don't understand why anyone would want to travel to the US when cases are climbing...unless their country has a higher level of cases.

[Darryl&Rita]

53 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

... and the transporter would be using your RV if an overnight would be needed?  😳

That's part of the selection process, Calgary to Great Falls isn't a bad flight, but it's 5 hours plus, driving. 3ish hours driving in Canada gives time to clear Customs and get the notification paperwork in place. A shorter flight, along with a shorter drive, could result in a paperwork hang-up, meaning your RV sits on the north side of the border.

[Kirk W]

56 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

That's part of the selection process,

If I were Canadian and considering doing this, I think that I'd want to make sure that I could return when spring comes also. Another consideration is that of vaccine for covid as it becomes available? 

[Darryl&Rita]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

If I were Canadian and considering doing this, I think that I'd want to make sure that I could return when spring comes also. Another consideration is that of vaccine for covid as it becomes available? 

Quite similar to US rules, no Canadian citizen will be refused return to Canada. Length of quarantine, location of quarantine, or even if a quarantine is required are not guaranteed, and are event specific. There's no guarantee for the return of personal property, either, so the RV may be intelligible for return to Canada. 

As far as any vaccine, we're so far down on the list of eligible recipients, I won't hold my breath to have one within the year. To think otherwise is folly. Any vaccine in the US, we'd be even further down the list, properly.

ETA: There's a reason we spent retirement money to buy a townhouse, and hunker down this winter. It's name is Covid19. The uncertainty isn't worth the short pants and sandals.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Darryl&Rita

[bobsallyh]

Plattsburgh, NY.

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/how-canadian-snowbirds-are-flocking-south-despite-a-border-closure/34705014

[Jinx & Wayne]

I've spoken to Canadian RV friends who tell me that their health insurance won't cover travel to the US because it is non-essential travel.

[Al F]

2 hours ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

I've spoken to Canadian RV friends who tell me that their health insurance won't cover travel to the US because it is non-essential travel.

I have read in a couple of blogs that Canadian health insurance doesn't cover them while in the USA in all the years they have been coming to the USA as snowbirds.  They always buy a separate health insurance policy for the time they are in the USA.  

Edited November 18, 2020 by Al F

[Darryl&Rita]

3 hours ago, Al F said:

I have read in a couple of blogs that Canadian health insurance doesn't cover them while in the USA in all the years they have been coming to the USA as snowbirds.  They always buy a separate health insurance policy for the time they are in the USA.  

You're thinking of our government supplied health care. Canadians need to purchase extra insurance for trips out of country. The rates for additional insurance have either ballooned, or it's unavailable. Depends on mitigating circumstances, as insurance always does.

[noteven]

Yes we need to buy travel medical insurance for outside of Canada unless we are covered for example by a group benefits plan through work. My employer’s plan covered my wife and I for $5million, jet air ambulance, recovery of a motor vehicle if unable to drive etc. 

Now I personally pay about $100/month for a 6 month period in the USA. Part of that is $245/yr for unlimited up to 30 day trips, the rest is a rider for continuous exceeding 30 days in the USA.

If I wanted to add C19 cover for this winter I think it is $150 more than last year.

A while back I paid $650CDN for a MRI scan at a private clinic, 2 day wait. Not sure how that compares to US cost. 

Our system is not “perfect”.  The billions are collected federally, and then the billions are redistributed to the provinces and territories who operate 13 different systems. Makes sense to someone I guess. However if I need medical care in another jurisdiction it is more or less seamless to me. 

Edited November 19, 2020 by noteven

[packnrat]

here in the USA, if you need a mri all major and most minor city's have a number of them in hospitals and clinics spread around. and pending the need at the time, can get in right now. cost? up to your insurance plan. other than that just a "co-pay" no cash needed.

Edited December 15, 2020 by packnrat