You're flying back, right? No one uses the TDCs at the airports. Just fill out the declaration form they give you on the plane and then answer the questions posed by the Nexus kiosk accordingly.

Another mileage run coming Wednesday, will cross at the same place.

Hopefully I don't need to budget 20 mins to be jerked around this time

So, to answer my own question from earlier...

There is no Nexus at the YVR bypass for connecting passengers. I used the landside Nexus lane; when I gave my card to the officer at the exit I asked about Nexus for connecting pax. He told me that there is no Nexus lane and that connecting pax need to see an officer, however there is no additional security check for connecting pax, so you can proceed directly to the transborder area.

If they added a Nexus lane for YVR connecting pax, IMHO YVR would be the easiest airport in the country for making transborder connections.

Any idea if there is at least a priority crew line to clear customs that NEXUS folks can use? That hall can get pretty crazy at times and I was hoping NEXUS will help me avoid it. My first year and I'm already loving avoiding the huge lines at various airports.

Also I recall last time having to clear security again when I traveled from YEG to YVR and onto LAS. So they've eliminated that? Or are you talking about on the way back?

And these days, I'd say Canadian Customs > Transborder baggage hell

new Nexus line at YOW
 

Nice. Just used it, they say been here since last Monday. They ask for your Nexus card and then push you through to baggage screening special line thereby avoiding any lineup. Nice.

is this at the airport or land border crossings? if land border, before you approach the CBSA kiosk/booth, there is a mail box? (at least at the whirlpool crossing)

Were you checking in at YOW, or connecting from somewhere else?

Just trying to get an idea of how the airport is set up, and if I will have to exit the secure area, to head to US Preclearance. And I always just assumed they had Nexus lanes there. Boy am I glad they've installed them before my trip at the end of April!

The "food" box on the US Customs Declaration
 

Just went in at T3 at YYZ on Delta. CATSA officers won't let you into the the US preclear area without the card filled out yet there is no place to write. Filling it out standing in the dark checked "no" on all boxes in question 11. Went to NEXUS and Mrs. B1 got a "D" ticket which sent us to secondary, which turned out to be due to their database having an error on the passport. While we're there, they decide to inspect everything we have with us in great detail. The agent finds that Mrs. B1 has crackers in her pocket. He points out that line 11 says "I am bringing (a) fruits, vegetables, seeds, food, insects yes no
(b) meats, animal/wildlife products yes no
(c) disease agents, cell cultrures, snails...."
So he points out that line (a) states "food" after "fruits, vegetables, seeds" (which are not food? ) and we have crackers as they are food and that this is a potentially serious offense and can cost you a fine and loss of NEXUS. We apologized up and down and he let us through. He let us keep the crackers. The way you are forced to fill out the card with no light and no table and are pressured to get out of there contrasts with the seriousness and silliness of the requirements and statements.
Be careful NEXUS people!

Really?? "no light" seems a little ridiculous. You filled out and signed a government form. Next time read it.

There is a simple trick that most frequent flyers use to avoid the last minute scramble. Take a stack of the forms home with you and fill it out prior to arriving at the airport.

Thanks for the kind words. I am not asking for your sympathy but just suggesting that others with NEXUS cards be aware of all the terms in all the lines. I had traveled only on AC since the new regime came into effect, and there is a different set up in T1 at YYZ so that reading the card is more readily done. So I had no experience with what would be done in T3. Indeed they send you to the space behind the ticket counter and you stand in line in area not intended for the purpose and with no illumination. They insist that you fill in the card as the line is moving and there is no proper space to read and fill it in. Furthermore, I was not aware that the other person on my card had crackers in her pocket - I should have read all the questions aloud. Despite my transgression, the US Border Patrol allowed us through after a thorough search. I collected some of the very cards you suggested at DTW on the way back for my next adventure - but I would prefer to use BUF. For those interested in tales of justice, this trip included some hiking in a US National Forest about 100 km north of the US/Mexico border. On the trail and well into the back country we came upon a group of five men going in the other direction, the first with an AK-47 pointed directly at me. We could see the last one had a US Border Patrol uniform. We asked the purpose of the gun and the leader said it was for training purposes. I was expecting that they were searching for the person(s) who had checked "no" instead of "yes" in box 11a at YYZ. But once again, they let us escape.

One of my big complaints with T3. No tables to fill out the forms.. they're all past the gatekeepers of the pre-clearance area.

You sure it was an AK47? They are pretty distinct in their appearance given the curved magazine. I'm not aware of the US CBP using AK's. Pretty sure they would be using a Colt M4 or other M16 variant.

The guy was a pain about the crackers. I wouldn't have marked it down as food - neither would many other people. But the declaration card is the same no matter what terminal you are using.

I wouldn't have marked it either, and I always have a granola bar or something for emergencies - I'll be more careful now since logically "food is food"!

Okay. I should have said sub-machine gun. I checked out some pictures and it was probably an Uzi.http://www.planetearthpeaceparty.com...600x400uzi.jpg