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Small for-hire carriers:

  1. In 2005, there were 7,067 small for-hire carriers with less than $1 million in revenue. These represented 63% of carriers in the for-hire carriers segment.
  2. Small for-hire carriers generated total operating revenues of $2.1 billion, for a $300,800 per carrier average. Overall, small for-hire carriers generated 7% of total revenue for the sector.
  3. Small for-hire carriers operating expenses totalled $2.0 billion or about $286,000 per carrier. Their main operating expenditures were salaries, wages and benefits representing 24% of total expenses, fuel cost (20%) and other expenses (20%).
  4. Compared to the previous year, total operating revenues improved 6%, while total operating expenses increased 7%.
  5. Intra-provincial movements were responsible for 69% of the total operating revenue ($1.46 billion). These movements were followed by international movements which represented 22% of total revenues ($477 million). Interprovincial movements were responsible for 9% of total revenues ($186 million).
  6. A little more than half (59%) of these carriers were specialized in long-distance transportation. This activity generated 54% of all operating revenues for small for-hire carriers.
  7. Geographically, Ontario was home to the largest number of small for-hire carriers with 39% of the Canadian carriers, followed by Quebec with 23% and Alberta with 12%.
  8. Small for-hire carriers reported an average of four employees of which 77% where full-time employees. In addition, they operated an average one straight truck, two road tractors and two semi-trailers.

Owner operators :

  1. In 2005, there were 37,591 trucking firms who self-identified as owner operators. Off these carriers, 99% reported revenues less than $1 million.
  2. Overall, owner operators generated $7.77 billion in operating revenues, about $207,000 per carrier.
  3. Compared to the previous year, total operating revenues improved 4%, while total operating expenses increased 5%.
  4. Operating expenses for these carriers totalled $7.1 billion, or $189,000 per carrier. The main operating expenses incurred by owner operators were fuel expenses (25%) and salaries, wages and benefits (23%) and other expenses (20%).
  5. Almost three out of four owner operators offered their services exclusively to for-hire carriers, while 23% of them worked exclusively for private carriers.
  6. Intra-provincial movements accounted for 67% of the total operating revenues generated by owner operators ($5.19 billion). These were followed by international movements with 23% ($1.75 billion) of revenues and interprovincial movements were the source of 11% ($833 millions) of overall revenues.
  7. The majority of owner operators (52%) specialized in long distance transportation. This type of transportation service generated 54% of operating revenues.
  8. Ontario was home to the largest number of owner operators with 35% of all Canadian carriers, followed by Quebec (21%) and Alberta (16%).
  9. The average owner operators firm has two employees and operated one road tractor.