Wow - all exports temporarily suspended

[GregandTeresa]

Just got this email, about 1 week before our trailer is supposed to be delivered:


Hello Greg and Teresa,

Effective July 18, 2016 US Customs is temporarily suspending all US exports from Escape Trailer Industries. There are new importation requirements required by the US Department of Transportation which are being enforced by US Customs.

We have always followed the processes for exportation, trying to keep appraised as to the importation requirements of the US DOT. We have just received notice that the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has implemented further requirements for all Foreign Vehicle Manufactures.

Unfortunately, it may take up to eight weeks to complete the registration process allowing ETI to comply with the new registration requirements for the Foreign Manufacturers Reporting Requirements and VIN Decoding Requirements. This is extremely frustrating for ETI as these new requirements have become effective immediately, there is no transition or grace period allowing uninterrupted exportation, and importation of trailers from Canada into the US.


At this time Escape Trailer Industries is temporarily unable to export any trailers into the US until they fall into compliance of these new regulations being implemented by NHTSA.

We appreciate your patience and understanding, we will contact you as soon as we know more.

Please feel free to forward any further questions you may have,

Warm Regards,

Sarah Morelli, Customer Service

 

[LosAngeles]

Just got this email, about 1 week before our trailer is supposed to be delivered:


Hello Greg and Teresa,

Effective July 18, 2016 US Customs is temporarily suspending all US exports from Escape Trailer Industries. There are new importation requirements required by the US Department of Transportation which are being enforced by US Customs.

We have always followed the processes for exportation, trying to keep appraised as to the importation requirements of the US DOT. We have just received notice that the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has implemented further requirements for all Foreign Vehicle Manufactures.

Unfortunately, it may take up to eight weeks to complete the registration process allowing ETI to comply with the new registration requirements for the Foreign Manufacturers Reporting Requirements and VIN Decoding Requirements. This is extremely frustrating for ETI as these new requirements have become effective immediately, there is no transition or grace period allowing uninterrupted exportation, and importation of trailers from Canada into the US.


At this time Escape Trailer Industries is temporarily unable to export any trailers into the US until they fall into compliance of these new regulations being implemented by NHTSA.

We appreciate your patience and understanding, we will contact you as soon as we know more.

Please feel free to forward any further questions you may have,

Warm Regards,

Sarah Morelli, Customer Service

Holy cow... that is a drag for everyone at ETI and also everyone who has a trailer to get. This will really affect many people.

Good luck to everyone affected by this hassle.

 

[SFDavis50]

Start calling your congressmen as this could become a logjam that is difficult to break. There aren't many big $$ vehicle manufacturers with legal departments which can fight this so there will be little or no impetus for Customs or NHTSA to speed things up.

Changing the game immediately shows a very serious lack of concern and understanding on the part of government as to how business operates and the costs involved in arbitrary regulatory changes. Escape could quickly and easily get so backed up with finished goods inventory, raw material inventory, lack of storage space, paperwork and the lack of payment receipts that their costs could really climb. And Customs doesn't have a need to care about that, they just need to make sure that all the paperwork and regulatory changes are documented.

 

[Bruce Wray]

If I was a future trailer owner caught in this moronic morass, I'd be lighting up social media on the internet right now, as well as contacting the agencies involved. Specifically, I would be calling out the heads of NHTSA (Mark Rosekind) and CBP (Gil Kerlikowske) to get this fixed.
Good luck, folks.
Bruce

 

[cpaharley2008]

Everyone is either in Cleveland or Philadelphia for next 2 weeks, what a load of crap.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Does anyone know how to start one of those on line petitions? maybe we help Escape speed up the process. I'm going to try and contact NHTSA tomorrow. Boy sometimes I wished I was still working, I used to call/write/email other agencies and as soon as they saw IRS on the memo, they dropped everything and got right back, those days are long gone now.

 

[Brian B-P]

There aren't many big $$ vehicle manufacturers with legal departments which can fight this so there will be little or no impetus for Customs or NHTSA to speed things up.

This is a business of extremes: vehicle manufacturers in Canada are either huge (GM, Ford, FCA, Toyota, Honda) or tiny (Escape, Bigfoot...). It's hard to imagine a multi-week (or even multi-day) holdup in the movement of cars into the U.S. from the Ontario auto plants, so I suspect this was not sprung on the big manufacturers without warning - my guess is that they don't need any legal work done. It's also possible that this is an issue only for manufacturers who do not manufacture in the United States (and are so completely foreign, such as Escape), and not for those who operate in the U.S. as well (which would be all of those big auto manufacturers).

 

[Jim Bennett]

Changing the game immediately shows a very serious lack of concern and understanding on the part of government as to how business operates and the costs involved in arbitrary regulatory changes. Escape could quickly and easily get so backed up with finished goods inventory, raw material inventory, lack of storage space, paperwork and the lack of payment receipts that their costs could really climb. And Customs doesn't have a need to care about that, they just need to make sure that all the paperwork and regulatory changes are documented.

You have just laid definition to Bureaucratic BS. You are so right by their lack of care and concern. To many levels of government, it seems time is definitely not of the essence, and all they care is their hoops are jumped through.

Maybe someone in the US should contact Escape to discuss from their point of view how it might be best to proceed. I would hate to see good hearted effort end up with only more delay.

 

[Ron in BC]

Years ago I manufactured a marine product and it ended up selling very well in the U.S. I exported for several years without any difficulties. Then suddenly, the export rules changed for me. Not impossible to comply with but much more onerous. I did wonder and had some suspicions about what prompted the rule change.

I can't help wonder if ETI's success and inroads into the U.S. market share hasn't resulted in one or more U.S. manufacturer complaining to their local rep. Probably paranoid to think that, on the other hand, business is business.

Ron

 

[GregandTeresa]

I can't help wonder if ETI's success and inroads into the U.S. market share hasn't resulted in one or more U.S. manufacturer complaining to their local rep. Probably paranoid to think that, on the other hand, business is business.

Ron

Truthfully that was my wife's first thought

 

[Janet H]

It looks like this is what may have changed - note the update is just a week old for these regs. A terribly tough situation for both buyers and Escape http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/maninfo/trailer002.pdf

 

[escape artist]

Rule Change?

Hi: All... What would happen if during a World Series game the "Gubermint" changed the rules... Eh? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[escape artist]

It looks like this is what may have changed - note the update is just a week old for these regs. A terribly tough situation for both buyers and Escape http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/maninfo/trailer002.pdf

Hi: Janet H... Thanks for the link. This is protectionism at it's best... and I only read to page 5!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Brian B-P]

If anyone wants a idea of complexity of the regulatory process involved, have a look at NHTSA's web page for this: Manufacturer Info | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). No, I haven't even read the several regulations involved, but they're linked on the NHTSA page if anyone wants to get a real understanding.

Personally, I doubt that a political process will speed things up, or that there is excessive bureaucracy involved - I like the close management of vehicle manufacturers, because there is a lot at stake in vehicle operation. It looks like a glitch in the process has occurred, and while a fix to speed up the registration process may be possible by the right NHTSA administrator, a bunch of ranting is not likely to lead to the right person to cause the desired action; it certainly won't change rules which are already in effect or processes which are already working for other manufacturers.

NHTSA offers a VIN Decoder; I was not previously aware of this. I tried my car's VIN and it worked well, but for a sample Escape VIN it reports

Error Code: 7 - Manufacturer is not registered with NHTSA for sale or importation in the U.S. for use on U.S roads; Please contact the manufacturer directly for more information.

... which is, as Sarah explained, the problem.

 

[SFDavis50]

I wonder, but I think it is more a case of government bureaucracy just creating more bureaucracy because that is really all they do. The bureaucracy doesn't solve problems, or prevent problems from occurring it just jumps in after the fact with an insatiable demand for documentation. Individual employees in the government don't have the incentive to make things more efficient or the authority to decide that a rule doesn't make sense, they just have to make sure the correct documentation is provided and they will get to reading it whenever they can.

 

[Greggo]

Damn! We just squeezed thru as the gate was closing! Picked up 7-11, not a hint of trouble.

Those waiting, please be patient, we ADORE our 21, and you'll love your new one when the gate reopens. Sorry for Tammy and Reace and those on the road or getting ready to head up to pick up.

Greg

 

[markvt]

Boy would I be mad if I had paid for my trailer and because of some bureaucratic nightmare like this I had to wait another eight weeks. Originally before we decided to purchase the Bigfoot 25B21FB travel trailer in February we had a delivery date of Aug 17 2016 for a 5.0 TA or we would be right now sitting this same mess. I sure hope everything works out quickly for ETI and for everyone concerned

 

[Patandlinda]

Years ago I manufactured a marine product and it ended up selling very well in the U.S. I exported for several years without any difficulties. Then suddenly, the export rules changed for me. Not impossible to comply with but much more onerous. I did wonder and had some suspicions about what prompted the rule change.

I can't help wonder if ETI's success and inroads into the U.S. market share hasn't resulted in one or more U.S. manufacturer complaining to their local rep. Probably paranoid to think that, on the other hand, business is business.

Ron

Ron where my thoughts are also . Pat

 

[Sandra L]

I wonder if it is possible to go back to the procedure several years ago whereby trailers were picked up by the new US owners and transported (imported) by the individual..Of course this would not help those who have a delivery scheduled...what a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense.

 

[gbaglo]

I wonder, but I think it is more a case of government bureaucracy just creating more bureaucracy because that is really all they do.

You realize that the clean water you drink is result of bureaucracy eh?
And your food isn't contaminated with e-coli because of bureaucracy? And the steering wheel shaft isn't piercing your chest because of bureaucracy?