Ambassador Bridge Seeks to Retain Trucking Business as Gordie Howe Bridge Opens

The $6.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge finally opened to traffic on July 27, 2026, after a planned June opening was cancelled at the request of the U.S. government. As the new crossing began handling vehicles, several trucking firms reported that the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge, which spans the Detroit River, intensified outreach to retain their business.

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The Ambassador Bridge has been owned by the Moroun family since 1979. In the months preceding the Gordie Howe opening, the family ramped up political activity, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to block the new bridge—a move critics say aimed to protect the Moroun-controlled crossing. The bridge-opening agreement includes a provision allowing the U.S. government to prevent tolls on the new bridge from falling below the average of comparable regional crossings.

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A deleted July post from UAW Local 212 Chair JT Barrett warned members that switching to the Gordie Howe bridge would require notifying the Ambassador Bridge to terminate an existing contract that saved the union’s members about $240,000 per month in tolls. Barrett disclosed that his drivers pay a flat $160,000 per month under the current agreement, down from “north of $400,000 per month” on a per-crossing basis. “These feature fixed monthly rates, determined based on expected crossings.” — Lak Shoan, director of policy for the Ontario Trucking Association

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Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the bridge opened after the U.S. request delayed the June launch.

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• “If we wanted to begin using the Gordie Howe bridge, the Ambassador Bridge would first have to be notified that we intend to terminate the current contract,” — UAW Local

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• “These feature fixed monthly rates, determined based on expected crossings.” — Lak Shoan, director of policy for the Ontario Trucking Association

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