For-hire motor carriers of freight, all carriers

There were an estimated 3,376 for-hire trucking companies based in Canada with annual revenues of $1 million or more in the third quarter of 2005, up 8.4% from the 3,115 carriers in the third quarter of 2004.

Operating revenues totalled $6.91 billion, up 9.5% from the third quarter of 2004. Operating expenses reached $6.28 billion, up 7.6% from the same period in 2004.

On a year-over-year basis, average operating revenues rose 1.0% to $2.05 million, while average operating expenses decreased marginally to $1.86 million.

The decrease in average expenses was driven by lower expenses for purchased transportation, lower miscellaneous expenses and decreased payments to owner operators. The operating ratio (operating expenses divided by operating revenues) improved to 0.91 from 0.92 for the same quarter in 2004.

For-hire trucking transportation revenues from domestic movements increased by 16.3% to $4.60 billion in the third quarter, up from $3.96 billion during the same quarter in 2004. In contrast, revenues from international movements decreased by 2.5%, while inbound movements decline by more than 11%.

Available on CANSIM: table 403-0002.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2748.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Ron Chrétien (613-951-8774; fax: 613-951-0009; ron.chretien@statcan.gc.ca) or Denis Pilon (613-951-2707; fax: 613-951-0579; denis.pilon@statcan.gc.ca), Transportation Division.