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Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Oliwier Samorajski Oliwier Samorajski New York, United States Last Updated: November 2024 NAICS 48422CA

Revenue

$11.1bn

2024

$11.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

38,053

Businesses

18,005

Wages

$X.Xbn

Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada industry analysis

Local specialized freight truckers in Canada have faced significant volatility amid wide swings in upstream production capacities since 2019. Surging industrial activity from mining companies and manufacturers supported revenue in the wake of the pandemic, but recent high interest rates have cut into demand from the construction sector. Skyrocketing oil prices supported demand for liquid bulk transportation as Canadian extractors produced more oil. Still, trucking companies continue to contend with a labour shortage that has limited their ability to fully service clients' needs. Revenue has been slipping at a CAGR of 0.3% to $11.1 billion through the current period, including an expected 0.9% dip in 2024 alone.

Trends and Insights

  • Construction activity has lapsed amid high interest rates. The Bank of Canada's repeated interest rate hikes have made investing in expansion and new construction projects difficult, cutting into dry bulk freight volumes.
  • The forestry products transportation segment is declining due to high operating costs, US tariffs, and reduced paper industry demand. Consequently, specialized truckers face reduced shipment volumes despite Canada's leading position in wood pulp manufacturing.
  • Ontario's mining sector and large population drive demand for specialized trucking services. The province's extensive mining industry requires dry bulk transportation, while its large population necessitates the transportation of construction materials and food products.
  • Trucking companies compete on price, reliability and speed. A strong reputation for timely, high-quality transportation can justify slightly higher freight rates.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $11.1bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Fuel surcharges have supported revenue growth

  • The pandemic and the following recovery led to significant crude oil price volatility. Russian sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine further strained supply and exacerbated volatility since the former is an OPEC+ member and key oil exporter. Local specialized freight truckers have imposed fuel surcharges to offset rising costs and preserve profit.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Monetary easing will fuel Canadian economic recovery

  • The ongoing easing of monetary policy will support economic recovery, driving the industrial output expected to expand by a CAGR of 1.3% through 2029. Climbing factory activity will drive the need for specialized distribution, supporting a rebound in trucking services from a slowdown experienced through 2023 and 2024.

Biggest companies in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Bison Transport
N/A
N/A
N/A
Groupe Robert
N/A
N/A
N/A
Mullen Group Ltd.
N/A
N/A
N/A

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Liquid bulk transportation , Dry bulk transportation and Forestry products transportation . Liquid bulk transportation is the largest segment of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Volatile oil production has disrupted liquid bulk transportation

  • Local specialized freight truckers earn significant revenue by transporting petroleum products, chemicals and gases. Tankers and other trucks carrying flammable or toxic goods must display special warning emblems to alert police and firefighters of potential dangers in case of an accident.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Canadian local specialized freight trucking companies provide local trucking services using specialized equipment within a metropolitan area. Companies transport bulk liquids, dry bulk materials, forest products, automobiles, boats, livestock and other specialized freight. This does not include used goods transportation.

What's included in this industry?

Local agricultural products truckingLocal automobile carrier servicesLocal boat, log, sand and coal hauling servicesLocal bulk liquid truckingLocal dump trucking and flatbed truckingLocal refrigerated products trucking

Companies

Bison TransportGroupe RobertMullen Group Ltd.

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

FUEL SURCHARGE JUST-IN-TIME (JIT)LIQUID BULKDRY BULK

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 48422 - Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Construction activity has lapsed amid high interest rates. The Bank of Canada's repeated interest rate hikes have made investing in expansion and new construction projects di...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The forestry products transportation segment is declining due to high operating costs, US tariffs, and reduced paper industry demand. Consequently, specialized truckers face ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Ontario's mining sector and large population drive demand for specialized trucking services. The province's extensive mining industry requires dry bulk transportation, while ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Trucking companies compete on price, reliability and speed. A strong reputation for timely, high-quality transportation can justify slightly higher freight rates.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Small and medium-sized companies dominate the industry. Larger freight companies will often subcontract work to these smaller truckers, who take advantage of the fragmented n...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Bison Transport's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Groupe Robert's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Mullen Group Ltd.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Bison Transport, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Groupe Robert, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Mullen Group Ltd., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Canadian truckers adhere to environmental and workplace standards. Companies can receive heavy fines for violating hours of service, national safety code and emissions standa...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Local specialized freight trucking companies are often more profitable due to niche services. The specialized equipment and training needed create barriers for new entrants, ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada is $11.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 18,005 businesses in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking market in Canada are Bison Transport, Groupe Robert and Mullen Group Ltd.

What does the Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada include?

Local agricultural products trucking and Local automobile carrier services are part of the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is Bison Transport.

How competitive is the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Local Specialized Freight Trucking industry in Canada.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.