Why is that? Because you specify what food you have (in this case?)

From what I understand, the GE kiosk processing time is shorter than the processing time on a NEXUS kiosk. Using GE also avoids the nuisance of completing a 6059B.

I used my NEXUS card for the first time today crossing at the Champlain NY/St-Bernard-de-Lacolle QC crossing for a shopping day in Plattsburgh.

I arrived this morning at the Champlain crossing around 8:15 to find 4 lanes open with no traffic anywhere but decided to use the NEXUs lane anyway because hey, I Have a NEXUS card... there was one car already at the booth and the driver was apparently having a nice little chat with the CBP agent as he stayed at the booth for a good 5 minutes. Myself, and the guy in the car behind me were starting to wonder what was happening. At one point, the CBP agent glanced at us who were patiently waiting and just like magic the car that was at the checkpoint departed within 20 seconds... I advanced slowly towards the booth holding my card inmy hand while holding the steering wheel and didn't even had to stop at the card reader as "1" appeared on the screen meaning my card was read, proceeded to the booth was asked where I was going and was sent on my way immediately. Total time, 5 minutes "wait" + 30 second "inspection". Really fast.

Coming back to Canada in the afternoon around 4:00PM I was a little shocked to find that the CBP decided to stop ALL NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC for some kind of inspection by a group of 10 CBP officers circling your car and looking in it through the windows. Lucky for me there was not much traffic because there was potential for it to be really bad as there was only one lane and every inspection took anywhere between 1 and 2 minutes to complete. I was waived through after being asked in the rudest possible way where I worked and where did I come from. I don't know if this was related to some terrorist threat but I have been using this crossing regularly for over 3 years and I was never stopped by the CBP before entering Canada before today.

There was 2 lanes open at the CBSA checkpoint with about 15 minutes of wait in each. NEXUS was empty, I presented my card to the reader waited for three seconds as indicated by the CBSA agent during the interview and proceeded to the booth. I was a little shocked to find the nobody was in the booth so I waited hoping somebody would come shortly until I heard somebody say "Bonjour, Hi" from somewhere. Just then I realized that the inspection was done from the passenger side of the vehicle, I don't know if it's just like that in lower colume periods but I think it would be good to maybe think of putting a sign in the window of the NEXUS booth saying that the agent is in the booth on the right of the car. The inspection was plain and simple, I was asked for how long I have been in the US and if I had put the TDC in the mailbox. I answered no to the last question and I was asked how much I had purchased (160$). I was then free to go on my way, no taxes, no duty. Total time: 5 minutes for CBP surprise inspection, 1 minute for clearing CBSA.

Do the "boarding card and blue form" checkers understand that you can go to a global entry kiosk without a blue form?

I'm not sure they'd let me do that in YYZ without the 6059B

Yes, they do. I've done this plenty of times. Sometimes I just say GE, sometimes I just have my passport out with the sticker. Never once had an issue.

I never got a sticker...

Applied July 19
Approved August 23
Interviewed September 3
Card received September 10-13 (wasn't received on 9th; was in my mailbox on 13th)

No more stickers. We got our Nexus/GE card back in November and there were no more stickers back then.

I still fill out the Blue Form....I have a stack at home!

I got this at the Stanstead, QC (Derby, VT) crossing about a month ago. First time for me also that they stopped Northbound traffic. Was quick, but they just asked where I was coming from and glanced quickly inside my car. No big deal, but definitely strange.

I got one at the start of August when I went in with my renewed passport at YYZ

Kidnapping maybe? I can't imagine what else you could check for with a quick glance.

I didn't get one in March.

Possible, but the person above (post #5134) it happened to them just yesterday. My occurrence was a month ago or so. Seems like some new procedure to me. Who knows!

When I went through YYC last month the card checker wouldn't let me throught without one. When I got to the Customs guy he said I didn't need it...I just told him it is a viscious circle as they won't let you through without one even if you tell them you are using GE. :rolleyes:

I was stopped Northbound at the Queenston Lewiston bridge a couple months ago just prior to crossing into Canada. So it seems to be happening from time to time. Wonder what's started happening that they're checking that?