Trucking in Canada

The modern trucking industry is a freight transportation business that requires the management of many aspects common to all types of freight forwarding. In Canada, retail goods, raw material, machinery and foodstuff are all commodities which rely heavily on efficient in-land transportation using trucks (due to their effectiveness with respect to terrain and the Canadian transportation network). According to Industry Canada*, of the nearly 700,000 trucks in operation, close to 65 % are being used to transport commercial freight from production to end-users every day. This makes trucking the backbone of the consumer supply chain in the Canadian market. The movement of goods is a complicated system supporting each link in the supply chain; from the movement of raw material to production or agricultural facilities to the movement of consumer goods to the marketplace.

Even a decade or so ago*, the Canadian for-hire trucking industry was generating $13 billion in revenue which has now climbed to over $30 billion (i) with over 10,000 trucking companies in operation, employing a quarter million drivers (and approximately 400,000 people overall connected directly with trucking and related services. These figures are only for the for-hire segment of the trucking industry) (i). The industry is responsible for over 50% of exports to US and over 75% imports coming in the other way (i).

Competition

In accordance with the economic growth witnessed in recent years, many small to medium businesses (other than the major ones) have launched startup companies which provide trucking services to fulfill the vast need for overland transportation, and there is still requirement for more. While "the trucking industry is even more fiercely competitive in the current economic downturn" (Canadian trucker's association-CTA-Vice President Ron Lennox), the competition bodes well for the industry in the long run as trucking businesses are forever improving and making their business processes more cost effective for themselves and their clients, ultimately benefiting the producers and consumers of goods. The government is also assisting in any way possible, enabling streamlined border crossings and spending large amounts of money upon the transport network, especially roads-works and bridges on trucking routes.

The trick for production and Agricultural businesses these days is to find a carrier capable of handling the largest volume within the least possible time (more trucks) and least cost (efficient routes, economy-focused management).

Below are listed the Canadian in-land transportation and trucking associations*

Alberta Motor Transport Association
America's Independent Trucker's Association Inc.
Association du camionage du Quebec
Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association
British Columbia Trucking Association
Canadian Automobile Association
Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators
Canadian Courier & Logistics Association
Canadian Industrial Transportation Association
Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation
Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association
Canadian Society of Customs Brokers
Canadian Transportation Equipment Association
Canadian Transportation Research Forum
Canadian Trucking Alliance
Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport North America
Freight Carriers Association of Canada
Get Trucking
Intermodal Association of North America
Manitoba Trucking Association
Ontario Trucking Association
Owner-Operator's Business Association of Canada
Private Motor Truck Council of Canada
Saskatchewan Trucking Association
Supply Chain & Logistics Canada
Transportation Association of Canada

References:

www[dot]todaystrucking[dot]com/newscenter.cfm?pageaction=topics&intNewsCenterID=1
*Industry Canada (official industrial website): www[dot]ic[dot]gc[dot]ca/eic/site/ts-sdc.nsf/eng/fd00264.html
www[dot]virtualmuseum[dot]ca/Exhibitions/Highway/en/index.html
www[dot]qlfs[dot]com/html/freight-bill-factoring-for-can.html

(i): House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food. Link:
www[dot]cantruck[dot]ca/iMISpublic/Submissions3/AM/ContentManagerNet/ContentDisplay.aspx?Section=Submissions3&NoTemplate=1&ContentID=3610