Drivers from FCA Transport, which is part of Stellantis' logistics division, received a notice informing them that they could face disciplinary sanctions if they used the newly inaugurated Gordie Howe International Bridge. This bridge opened on July 27, connecting Detroit in the United States to Windsor in Canada. The current directive requires the fleet to continue crossing the border via the Ambassador Bridge, a century-old structure, and the reason for this restriction is not related to engineering issues.
J.T. Barrett, president of UAW Local 212, the union representing these drivers, explained that the company has an exclusivity agreement with the Ambassador Bridge. Instead of paying tolls for each crossing, FCA Transport pays a fixed monthly amount of US$ 160,000 for an unlimited number of crossings. This arrangement represents significant savings, as before the agreement, monthly costs exceeded US$ 400,000, resulting in annual savings of approximately US$ 2.9 million.
In the case of the Gordie Howe Bridge, the structure charges US$ 8.75 (equivalent to CA$ 12) per axle for commercial vehicles. For a five-axle semi-trailer, a common format in automotive parts transport, the cost would be US$ 43.75 per passage. Furthermore, Barrett warned about the risk of customs delays due to documentation inconsistencies if the driver changes the route on their own initiative. It is important to note that this limitation applies only to FCA Transport drivers covered by the union, and not to the entire Stellantis operation in the region.
A notable aspect of the Ambassador Bridge is its ownership. Inaugurated in 1929, it is one of the few international crossings in North America maintained under private management, owned by the Moroun family of Michigan since 1979 through the Detroit International Bridge Company. More than a quarter of all merchandise trade between the United States and Canada passes through it.
The Gordie Howe Bridge is the newest road crossing between the two cities. The Morouns resisted the project for over ten years, including legally, invoking an exclusive franchise right based on a 1921 legislation. The inauguration, scheduled for June, was postponed the day before the event; as reported by The Globe and Mail, the pressure came from the American government after a meeting between the owner and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Funded almost entirely by the Canadian government, with a cost of CA$ 6.4 billion, the new bridge spans 2.5 km, has a central span of 853 meters, and 220-meter towers, making it the tallest cable-stayed bridge in North America. It features six lanes, 16 toll booths, and 60 customs inspection lanes, specifically designed to expedite the flow of automotive parts in the just-in-time system.
In response to CTV News, Stellantis declared its intention to use the Gordie Howe in its just-in-time operations in both countries, but did not provide a timeline or clarify whether this change would apply to FCA Transport trucks. The current contract with the Ambassador stipulates a 60-day prior notice requirement for termination. Barrett's post was removed from Facebook after comments began treating the matter as a political dispute; the union assured that the guidance was not politically motivated.
