Ontario to Pennsylvania flatbed and Conestoga, through Buffalo
Fission Logistics runs flatbed and Conestoga freight from Mississauga and anywhere in Southern Ontario to Pennsylvania, crossing at Buffalo and running Interstate 90 and 79 into the western side of the state or across New York to the east. Erie, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg sit inside about 500 miles of the GTA and deliver next day. We are CTPAT validated, PIP and FAST approved, and dispatch files the ACE eManifest on every load.
The lane
Pennsylvania is 1 of our regular US lanes, and it runs through Buffalo. Loads leave Mississauga and the rest of Southern Ontario, run the QEW to the Peace Bridge or Lewiston, and take Interstate 90 along Lake Erie. Interstate 79 drops south from Erie to Pittsburgh. Eastern Pennsylvania is the longer run, across New York and down Interstate 81 into the Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia side.
| Trailer | Payload into Pennsylvania | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Conestoga, 53 ft tandem | Up to 45,000 lb | Freight that has to stay dry: coil, plate, aluminum, 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 |
Pennsylvania is a tandem lane. Our 6 axle units cross into Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, not Pennsylvania, so a heavy order is split across tandems at 45,000 lb each. A single piece over 45,000 lb is quoted after dispatch checks the permit route.
Areas we cover
We deliver and pick up anywhere in Pennsylvania. Distances are road distance from Toronto, rounded.
| Area | From the GTA | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | About 310 km (190 miles) | Next day |
| Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley | About 500 km (315 miles) | Next day |
| Scranton | About 600 km (375 miles) | Next day |
| Harrisburg, York and Lancaster | About 615 km (380 miles) | Next day |
| Allentown, Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley | About 700 km (435 miles) | Next day |
| Philadelphia | About 800 km (500 miles) | Next day on most loads |
Freight on this lane
Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley still make and process steel, fabricators and machine shops sit across western and central Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia have service centers, building products plants and the port. That puts steel coil and plate for processors and fabricators, structural steel, pipe, aluminum extrusions, shingles and building products, and machinery on our trucks in both directions.
Crossing at Buffalo
- Peace Bridge at Fort Erie or Lewiston to Queenston. Dispatch picks the bridge that suits the route and the hour.
- 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.
River steel from the Pittsburgh terminals and the Port of Erie, and ship steel from Philadelphia and Camden, come north to Ontario and Quebec in bond under our own US bond.
More on our border programs: cross border flatbed and certifications.
Oversize loads into Pennsylvania
A load over Pennsylvania's legal width, height, length or weight needs a hauling permit from PennDOT, issued through its APRAS routing system, 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 a Pennsylvania load quoted
Send the pickup, the Pennsylvania 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, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.
Questions shippers ask
How heavy a load can you take into Pennsylvania?
Up to 45,000 lb on a 53 ft tandem, at 80,000 lb gross. Our 6 axle units run into Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, not Pennsylvania, so heavy Pennsylvania orders are planned on tandems. A single piece over 45,000 lb is quoted after dispatch checks the permit route.
Which crossing do you use for Pennsylvania?
Buffalo, at the Peace Bridge or Lewiston to Queenston. Erie and Pittsburgh are straight down Interstate 90 and 79 from there. Harrisburg, the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia run across New York on Interstate 90 and down Interstate 81.
How long does Ontario to Pennsylvania take?
Next day to Erie, Pittsburgh, Scranton and Harrisburg, all within about 500 miles of the GTA. Philadelphia is right at the edge of that radius at about 800 km, so most loads deliver next day and dispatch confirms the window with the quote.
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.
Do you bring freight back from Pennsylvania?
Yes. Steel, aluminum, pipe and building products come north on the same trucks, and river steel from the Pittsburgh terminals and port steel from Philadelphia and Camden move to Ontario and Quebec in bond under our own US bond.
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.