Ontario to Indiana flatbed and Conestoga, through Detroit
Fission Logistics runs flatbed and Conestoga freight from Mississauga and anywhere in Southern Ontario to Indiana, crossing at Detroit and running Interstate 94 and 69 into the state. Our 6 axle units carry up to 76,000 lb into Indiana, so a heavy steel order that would take 2 tandems often moves on 1 truck. We are CTPAT validated, PIP and FAST approved, and dispatch files the ACE eManifest on every load.
The lane
Indiana is 1 of our regular US lanes. Loads leave Mississauga and the rest of Southern Ontario, run the 401 to Windsor, cross at Detroit and follow Interstate 94 across Michigan to the Lake Michigan shore, or Interstate 69 down to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Most of Indiana sits inside about 500 miles of the GTA and delivers next day.
| Trailer | Payload into Indiana | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 6 axle curtainside | Up to 76,000 lb | Heavy coil and plate lots, both directions |
| Conestoga, 53 ft tandem | Up to 45,000 lb | Freight that has to stay dry: aluminum extrusions, coil, shingles |
| Open flatbed, 53 ft tandem | Up to 45,000 lb | Structural steel, pipe, crane loaded freight |
| Step deck or double drop | Step deck up to 45,000 lb, double drop up to 42,000 lb | Tall dies and machinery |
After Michigan, Indiana and Ohio are the 2 states where our 6 axle crosses, at up to 76,000 lb. More on the unit: multi axle, 4 and 6 axle and why a 6 axle moves 86,000 lb inside Ontario.
Areas we cover
We deliver and pick up anywhere in Indiana. Distances are road distance from Toronto, rounded.
| Area | From the GTA | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana | About 570 km (355 miles) | Next day |
| South Bend and Elkhart | About 640 km (400 miles) | Next day |
| Gary, Burns Harbor and the Lake Michigan shore | About 790 km (490 miles) | Next day |
| Lafayette and Muncie | About 760 km (470 miles) | Next day |
| Indianapolis | About 820 km (510 miles) | Next day on most loads |
| Evansville and southwest Indiana | About 1,050 km (650 miles) | Dispatch confirms the window |
Freight on this lane
Indiana makes more steel than any other state, most of it at the integrated mills along the Lake Michigan shore next to the Ports of Indiana terminal at Burns Harbor, so steel coil, plate and pipe come north from there to Ontario and Quebec. Going south, the state's vehicle plants, parts makers and the RV and trailer builders around Elkhart take aluminum extrusions, structural steel, building products and dies and machinery.
Crossing at Detroit
- Detroit on the Ambassador Bridge or the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which runs straight from Highway 401 to Interstate 75. Port Huron to Sarnia when the Ontario end sits on the 402.
- CTPAT validated and PIP approved. FAST lane when the importer and driver qualify.
- Dispatch files the ACE eManifest going south and the ACI eManifest coming north.
- The customs broker is always yours. Send their contact with the commercial invoice.
- Every tractor runs Samsara, so one tracking link follows the load on both sides of the bridge.
Imported steel off the ships at Burns Harbor moves north in bond under our own US bond, with a TWIC driver at the gate.
More on our border programs: cross border flatbed and certifications.
Oversize loads into Indiana
A load over Indiana's legal width, height, length or weight needs an oversize or overweight permit from the Indiana Department of Revenue's Motor Carrier Services division, plus an Ontario permit when the load is also over Ontario limits. Dispatch pulls the permits in house, checks the route and gives you 1 price before the truck moves. See oversize and overdimensional.
Getting an Indiana load quoted
Send the pickup, the Indiana delivery, the commodity, the weights and the date. Dispatch names the trailer with the price within 1 business hour, 7 am to 5 pm ET, and answers at (905) 799 7900, press 1, 24 hours. Brokers and 3PLs: send the rate confirmation to dispatch and we email the carrier packet the same business day. The same trucks run Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Questions shippers ask
How heavy a load can you take into Indiana?
Up to 76,000 lb on a 6 axle unit, and up to 45,000 lb on a tandem. Send the weights and dispatch picks the trailer.
Which crossing do you use for Indiana?
Detroit, on the Ambassador or Gordie Howe bridge, then Interstate 94 toward Chicago or Interstate 69 toward Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Port Huron to Sarnia when the Ontario end sits on the 402.
How long does Ontario to Indiana take?
Next day to Fort Wayne, South Bend, the Lake Michigan shore and Indianapolis, all within about 500 miles of the GTA. Evansville and the far southwest are a longer run, and dispatch gives the delivery window with the quote.
Do you bring steel coil back from the Indiana mills?
Yes. Steel, aluminum, machinery and building products come north on the same trucks, on tandems at up to 45,000 lb or on a 6 axle at up to 76,000 lb. Imported steel off the ships at Burns Harbor moves in bond under our own US bond.
Do you provide the customs broker?
No. The customs broker is always yours. Send their contact with the commercial invoice, and dispatch files the ACE eManifest going south and the ACI eManifest coming north.
Related
Rather talk it through?
Call dispatch with the load and the lane. They'll tell you which trailer it goes on, and someone picks up 24 hours a day.