Plenty of Canadian truck driver postings for U.S. lanes ask for the same short list: a clean abstract, a valid passport, and a FAST card. If you already hold a Class 1 or AZ licence, the FAST card is often the one credential between you and a cross-border seat. This guide covers how the application works, where you will interview, what it costs, and how to use the card when you apply for jobs.
Key facts at a glance
- What it is: Free and Secure Trade (FAST) is a commercial driver program run jointly by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Both agencies screen every applicant.
- Where you apply: Online only, through the Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) system operated by CBP. CBSA no longer accepts paper applications.
- Cost and term: $50 USD, and membership lasts five years, according to CBSA (July 2026).
- Eligibility review: CBSA's how-to-apply page lists an estimated processing time of about 30 business days, or six to eight weeks, to assess eligibility (checked October 2026). The interview wait comes on top of that.
- Interview locations in Canada: CBP lists FAST enrolment centres at Fort Erie, Fort Frances and Lansdowne in Ontario, and at the Houlton crossing in Belleville, New Brunswick.
- New in 2026: CBSA ended the Canada-only Commercial Driver Registration Program (CDRP) on September 1, 2026, and is directing drivers who want trusted trader benefits to FAST instead.
What the FAST card does at the border
FAST is a trusted trader program. You are pre-screened by both governments, so officers already have your background on file when you pull up to the booth.
Dedicated lanes need the whole chain approved
The dedicated FAST lane is not open to every driver who holds a card. CBP states that FAST lane use requires every link in the chain, from manufacturer to carrier to driver to importer, to be certified under its Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program. On the Canadian side, CBSA ties the lane to trusted trader shipments, which in practice means carriers and importers enrolled in programs such as Partners in Protection. Your card is the driver piece. The carrier you work for supplies the rest.
FAST-1st and other Canadian benefits
CBSA also offers a FAST-1st option at select ports of entry, which gives eligible commercial vehicles priority access to all open inspection booths, not just the dedicated lane. CBSA notes that FAST members can also carry Customs Self-Assessment (CSA) eligible goods for carriers in that program. When you are comparing employers, ask which of these programs the company participates in. A carrier with CTPAT, PIP and CSA status can actually use what your card offers.
Why the CDRP change matters to you
If you held a CDRP card, it stays valid until its printed expiry date, but no new CDRP applications are accepted after September 1, 2026. Drivers who want to keep trusted trader access on the Canadian side now need FAST. That likely means more drivers applying, so it is worth getting your application in before your CDRP card lapses.
Who can apply
CBP says FAST is open to truck drivers from Canada, the United States and Mexico. Both agencies assess you separately, and either one can refuse you.
What you need before you start
Have these ready before you open the TTP site:
- A valid passport or other accepted proof of citizenship or permanent residence
- Your commercial licence (Class 1 in most provinces, AZ in Ontario, Class 1 FS in Quebec)
- Five years of addresses with move-in and move-out dates
- Five years of employment history, including gaps
- A list of countries you have travelled to in the last five years
Mismatched dates between your residence history, employment history and licence record are a common reason files get delayed. Pull your driver's abstract and old pay stubs and check your dates against them before you type anything.
Records that can cause problems
Both agencies look at past customs and immigration violations, false or incomplete answers on the application, and criminal history. If you have any concern about your own record, read the eligibility pages on the CBSA and CBP sites directly. A denial or a lapse can affect the cross-border work you are offered, so it is better to know your position before you apply.
Applying step by step
Step 1: Create your TTP account and submit
Go to the Trusted Traveler Programs site run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, create a login, and choose FAST for the U.S. and Canada. Enter your details, history and licence information, then pay the $50 USD fee. Read every screen twice. Fixing an error after you submit can add weeks.
Step 2: The joint risk assessment
CBSA and CBP each review your file. CBSA's current estimate for the eligibility assessment is about 30 business days, or six to eight weeks. Some files take longer, and neither agency guarantees a date. Check your status in your TTP account rather than submitting a second application, which can complicate your file.
Step 3: Conditional approval and booking
If both agencies clear you, your TTP account will show conditional approval and you can book an interview through the TTP scheduler. CBP's current list of Canadian FAST enrolment centres is:
- Fort Erie, Ontario: Commercial Vehicle Processing Center at the Peace Bridge, open weekdays into the evening and Saturday mornings.
- Fort Frances, Ontario: Serves northwestern Ontario, with shorter winter hours from October to April.
- Lansdowne, Ontario: At the Thousand Islands crossing, open Monday to Wednesday.
- Houlton crossing, New Brunswick: Located in Belleville, N.B., open weekdays.
There are also FAST enrolment centres on the U.S. side of the border. The scheduler shows every location and its next open slot, so check more than one. If you are based in the Greater Toronto Area, the extended weekday hours at Fort Erie often make it the easiest booking.
Step 4: Receive and track your card
After a successful interview, your card is mailed to you. Note the five-year expiry in your phone and plan your renewal well ahead. A gap means you cannot run FAST loads.
What happens at the interview
You will meet officers from both agencies. The interview confirms what you wrote online.
Bring originals
Bring the original documents you listed in your application, your licence, proof of address, and the conditional approval from your TTP account. If you have moved or changed carriers since you applied, bring proof of the change and tell the officer at the start.
What officers check
Expect questions about your residence, your work history, the lanes you drive, and any past border issues. Officers take your photo and fingerprints. If you cannot remember an exact date, say so. A guess that does not match your file causes more trouble than an honest gap.
Plan around your schedule
Tell your dispatcher the date as soon as you book. If you are driving for a carrier now, ask whether it will schedule you a run that ends near the enrolment centre, so you do not lose a working day.
How FAST affects pay and job options
What the public wage data shows
Job Bank, using Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey data for 2023-2024, lists a national median wage of $26.42 an hour for transport truck drivers (NOC 73300). The range runs from $19.45 to $37.00. In Ontario, the median is $26.00, with a range of $19.23 to $35.00. These figures cover every type of trucking job and do not separate cross-border from domestic work. No government source publishes a specific FAST-card wage premium.
Where the difference shows up
Cross-border pay usually differs in structure more than in a single headline rate. Read U.S.-lane postings for:
- The per-mile rate, and whether it changes for U.S. miles
- Per-crossing or border pay
- Paid waiting time at the border and at U.S. customers
- Layover pay and weekly mileage targets
To compare offers, add up a typical week on each lane rather than comparing per-mile rates alone. A slightly lower rate with paid border time and steady miles can beat a higher rate with long unpaid waits.
Carriers that run U.S. lanes
Many large Canadian fleets run U.S. freight, including Bison Transport in Winnipeg, Challenger Motor Freight in Cambridge, Ontario, Day and Ross in Hartland, New Brunswick, Kriska Transportation in Prescott, Ontario, and Titanium Transportation Group in Bolton, Ontario. These are examples of employers to research, not a ranked list. Their requirements and pay change, so check each carrier's current postings. For long-haul and team roles across the country, you can filter openings on TransportationCareers.ca instead of sorting through unrelated listings on general boards.
Getting the $50 USD fee reimbursed
The fee is small, but it is reasonable to ask an employer to cover it.
Policies vary, so ask directly
No public registry tracks which carriers reimburse FAST fees. Some cover it for new hires, some after probation, some only on renewal, and some not at all. The only way to know is to ask the recruiter, ideally at the offer stage.
What to say
Keep it simple: I am applying for my FAST card. Does your company reimburse the fee for drivers on U.S. lanes, and is that tied to a probation period? Ask for the answer in your offer letter or onboarding paperwork.
Apply now or after you are hired
If you already have cross-border experience, applying on your own means you can start U.S. loads immediately, which strengthens your application. If you are newer, especially after completing Ontario's Mandatory Entry-Level Training for your AZ, a domestic role first can build the experience many carriers require for U.S. lanes, and some employers will guide you through FAST once you are on their payroll.
Making the card count in your job search
Put it where recruiters look
List FAST in your resume summary with the expiry year, for example: Class AZ, FAST card valid to 2031, clean abstract. Add the same line to your profile on the TransportationCareers.ca job seekers page so carriers hiring for U.S. lanes can find you.
Add credentials that pair with it
Cross-border postings often ask for transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) training, reefer or flatbed experience, and a set amount of highway experience. Holding those alongside FAST widens the range of loads you can take.
Protect your status
A customs violation can cost you your FAST membership. Keep your paperwork in order and treat every crossing as part of your work record.
FAQ
How long does a FAST card take in Canada?
CBSA currently estimates about 30 business days, or six to eight weeks, for the eligibility assessment. After that, you book an interview, and wait times depend on which centre you choose. Check your TTP account for updates.
How much does the FAST card cost, and how long is it valid?
The fee is $50 USD, and membership lasts five years. Ask your carrier whether it reimburses the fee before you pay.
Where can I do my FAST interview in Canada?
CBP lists Canadian FAST enrolment centres at Fort Erie, Fort Frances and Lansdowne in Ontario, and at the Houlton crossing in Belleville, New Brunswick. You book through the TTP scheduler after conditional approval.
I have a CDRP card. Do I need FAST?
CBSA ended CDRP on September 1, 2026. Your CDRP card stays valid until it expires, but CBSA encourages drivers who want to keep trusted trader benefits to apply for FAST.
Does a FAST card let me use the FAST lane on every load?
No. The dedicated lane is for shipments where the carrier and importer are also in the relevant trusted trader programs. Ask employers about their CTPAT and Partners in Protection status.
Your next step
Pull your five-year history together this week, submit your TTP application, and check the scheduler for the nearest enrolment centre once you are conditionally approved. While you wait, start comparing carriers running U.S. lanes. Ready to take the next step? Visit the TransportationCareers.ca job seekers page to browse current openings and create a candidate profile.