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For-hire motor carriers of freight, top carriers

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The Daily


Thursday, September 7, 2006
Second quarter 2006

The top 91 for-hire motor carriers of freight (Canadian-based trucking companies earning $25 million or more annually) generated operating revenue of $2.4 billion and expenses of $2.2 billion in the second quarter.

Average per-carrier revenues ($26.3 million) and expenses ($24.6 million) both increased by 5.7% from the second quarter of 2005.

The top for-hire carriers' operating ratio (operating expenses divided by operating revenue) was 0.94, similar to the second quarter of 2005. A ratio greater than 1.00 represents an operating loss.

The second quarter of 2006 data on the top for-hire carriers, taken from the Quarterly Motor Carriers of Freight Survey, provide results from 64 general freight carriers and 27 specialized freight carriers.

Note: Readers should note that, with few exceptions, additions and deletions to the top carriers are done only for the first quarter of each calendar year, while the composition of a top carrier may change at any time due to acquisitions or divestitures.

Year-over-year variations in revenue and expenses may arise from changes to the mix of companies included in the top carriers and/or changes in the financial results reported by individual carriers.

The revenue and expenses attributed to top carriers may also include that of some companies with less than $25 million in annual revenue, particularly when these companies exist in complex corporate structures where their individual activities may be difficult to accurately measure.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2748.

For general information or to order data, contact the Dissemination Unit (toll-free 1-866-500-8400; fax: 1-613-951-0009; transportationstatistics@statcan.gc.ca), Transportation Division.

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