Interesting read. This is the company I used when Covid had the border closed to us crossing to pick up our parcels. They've come up with a great idea. Canada Post has gotten so expensive for us to ship to the US. For those who don't know where St Boniface is, it's part of Winnipeg and Runnin' Red operates out of Emerson, about 60 miles south of Winnipeg right on the North Dakota border.
St. Boniface is no place for a United States post office.
And yet, one warehouse is operating as such and its touting shipping prices that are half those of Canada Post.
As far as I know, were the first ones in Canada to do this, said Trevor Froese, co-owner of Runnin Red, while sitting in the companys 10,000 square foot facility at 615 Rue Camiel Sys St. on Tuesday where customers deliver their parcels, ready for shipment south of the border.
Froese has seen Etsy artisans bring their products and snowbirds lug their suitcases. Manitobans can print their bags shipping labels at home through Runnin Reds website, or at the warehouse.
Well bring (the items) across the border for them, Froese said.
Runnin Red began seven years ago as a parcel pick-up service, routinely visiting North Dakota to grab packages for Manitobans who couldnt ship into Canada.
Business boomed during the pandemic as the Canada-U.S. border shut to non-essential travel. Runnin Red, which retrieves medical supplies from America, had clearance to cross the line.
The company regularly collected goods stuck in Pembina, N.D. for Manitobans and delivered them within the province.
We (have) still managed to keep a lot of that business and clientele, Froese said.
Simultaneously, Runnin Red drives Manitobans goods across the border, where the United States Postal Service (USPS) or United Parcel Service (UPS) take the shipments. Clients are often small business owners with American customers, Froese said.
A lot of our clients that sell online, they wanted us to buy shipping for them, Froese said.
Their packages would be un labelled. Runnin Red would purchase the needed shipping labels in America, Froese said.
We figured it would be easier if we can just offer this service too, he said.
The company inked contracts with the USPS and UPS to sell shipping labels. It gets a discount because of the volume of goods it ships, Froese added.
Now we pass on that discount to everyday people. They dont have to be a big business, he said.
On Tuesday, a 10 pound parcel shipping from Winnipeg to Orlando, Fla. (at 10 x 10 x 5 inches)would cost roughly $20, as the cheapest option, according to Runnin Reds online estimator. The package would be delivered in two to eight days through the USPS, the website said.
Canada Posts rate estimator valued the same delivery at around $56, for the cheapest option, with a seven business day commute.
Canada Post didnt respond to interview requests by print deadline.
The domestic U.S. shipping is very cheap, Froese noted.
People who drop their goods at the warehouse before 10:30 a.m. will get same-day shipping to the U.S. trucks leave daily.
The business has been offering the service for two months.
This was just a natural progression, Froese said, adding business has slowed enough to expand services.
Still, upwards of 500 parcels might trade hands in the St. Boniface warehouse on any given day, according to Runnin Red dispatcher Sheldon Hyatt.
There are people bringing packages to ship, and others coming to pick up goods. Commercial clients use Runnin Red for prep work.
We fill a pretty big hole, Hyatt said. I think at this date, with fuel costs and time, its moreworth it to have someone else deal with your cross-border shipments than try to go and dealwith it yourself.
The significant jump in fuel costs has made operations tougher, Froese said. Manitobasaverage price for regular unleaded gas was $1.48 Tuesday, 17.5 cents more than the yearprior, according to fuel tracker GasBuddy. At the beginning of December 2020, the averagegas price was around 98 cents per litre.
Volume is whats saving us, Hyatt said, noting the company has raised its fuel surcharges.
Brenda Ezinicki, a past customer of Runnin Red, said her experience with the company wasdifferent from other postal services. It might be because theyre local, she added.
My experience with Trevor is really, really positive, Ezinicki said. I try to let many peopleknow.
The company delivers around Winnipeg, Steinbach, Morden and Winkler.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
This has been going on in Ontario for years too. There are two companies going strong CBP (Cross Border pickup) and CBI.
You pay a fee to have a "mailbox number". You send/receive to their address with your "mailbox".
It comes in handy because ordering parts, lots of time there is free shipping in the USA. So I have the free shipping to Niagara Falls, then I pay the company to clear them thru customs and bring them to Toronto.
With the price of gas over the last year, it was 100% cheaper than I could do it....
But the point of this story is now we can ship stuff to the US much cheaper than using Canada Post. We can ship from Canada, using USPS and getting USPS rates as if we are shipping from a US address to another US address.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Re them taking packages to the US and shipping them from there, how does this work re US customs? When I go to the US to mail something, I'm asked at the border if I'm taking in anything that I won't be bringing back. I answer honestly with a description and value and I haven't had a problem. I don't imagine they can just say "I got a bunch of stuff, don't know what it is or the value".
But the point of this story is now we can ship stuff to the US much cheaper than using Canada Post. We can ship from Canada, using USPS and getting USPS rates as if we are shipping from a US address to another US address.
Carl.... I missed that point. I have NOT shipped from Canada to the US using these 2 services..
Re them taking packages to the US and shipping them from there, how does this work re US customs? When I go to the US to mail something, I'm asked at the border if I'm taking in anything that I won't be bringing back. I answer honestly with a description and value and I haven't had a problem. I don't imagine they can just say "I got a bunch of stuff, don't know what it is or the value".
I haven't used this yet so not sure but I assume we will have to sign a declared value sheet or something.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
off topic but Monday I went to my US mailbox to pick up using the bridge that only Nexus card holders can use. There were 2 cars in front of me the cleared in seconds. When i come back with my packages i use the regular bridge to come back. there was 7 lanes open with about 3 cars in each. On the other side going into the US there were hundreds of cars that i would say a 4 hour wait to cross. I only had $295 in car parts , got through no taxes
