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.

Sept. 21, 2006, 6 to 9 p.m.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 54 Queen St. W., Kitchener
Seating is limited. Please RSVP by Sept. 15 by calling the Rapid Transit Infoline at
(519) 575-4757, ext. 3242 or sending an e-mail to rtinfo@region.waterloo.on.ca.

Rapid Transit Information Centres:
Cambridge Centre Mall: Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fairview Park Mall: Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Conestoga Mall: Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One week until launch of highly successful campaign

TORONTO - After three highly successful campaigns, it's just one short week until the Municipal Roads Coalition (MRC) launches its fourth annual Worst Municipal Roads Campaign, WWW.WORSTROADS.CA on September 6, 2006.

With the 2006 municipal election in November, it is more important than ever for Ontario municipal road users, motorists and bus passengers alike to make their voice heard. Starting September 6 they will be able to do this by logging on to www.worstroads.ca. In addition to voting they will be able to send a postcard to their mayor and MPP telling them they want their local roads fixed.

Since its launch in 2003, the coalition has named 46 different roads on its annual top 20 list. This year, the coalition contacted all of the relevant municipalities to ask them to report on their progress. The municipal governments told the coalition they have taken or are taking action to fix 86 per cent of those roads. In fact, municipalities reported that 65 per cent of the roads have undergone repairs or are currently under construction and 21 per cent of them are scheduled for construction this year or are going through the redesign or environmental assessment processes.

The Municipal Roads Coalition is a group of organizations that came together in 2003 to advocate for improved investment in Ontario's municipal roads.

Members of the MRC are:
Canadian Automobile Association, Ontario
Ontario Motor Coach Association
Ontario Road Builders' Association
Ontario School Bus Association
Ontario Trucking Association

 Ontario Government Improves Ottawa Economic, Commuter Corridor

    OTTAWA - The Ontario government is widening Highway 7 from
Highway 417 to west of Jinkinson Road to improve access and ease traffic
congestion, Parliamentary Assistant Phil McNeely announced at a groundbreaking
ceremony yesterday.
    "This is great news for residents, commuters and businesses in the Ottawa
area," said McNeely. "More than 16,000 drivers use this section of road every
day. Widening Highway 7 will ease traffic congestion between Ottawa and
Carleton Place."
    "Highway 7 is a key transportation corridor to Ottawa, carrying about
$34 million worth of goods each week day," said Minister of Transportation
Donna Cansfield. "Planning ahead by widening Highway 7 will prepare this area
for future growth."

    <<
    Construction work on this project includes:

    -   Widening 8.6 kilometres of Highway 7 from two to four lanes between
        Highway 417 and Jinkinson Road to ease traffic congestion and enhance
        safety
    -   Upgrading the westbound Highway 417 interchange and building a new
        bridge at the Hazeldean Road interchange
    -   Closing the Rothbourne Road entrance to Highway 7 and improving
        access to Highway 7 at the new Hazeldean Road interchange
    -   Upgrading lighting and improving drainage.
    >>

    This is the first contract in a three-phase plan to widen Highway 7 from
Highway 417 to Carleton Place. R.W. Tomlinson of Gloucester was awarded the
$45-million construction contract and work is expected to finish by summer
2008. The Ontario government is investing a total of $106 million under its
ReNew Ontario plan to complete all three phases by 2010.
    "More than 1,700 trucks travel along this section of Highway 7 daily,"
said Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan. "Quick, reliable
and safe infrastructure is vital to our economic success and quality of life."
    Where possible, one lane of traffic will remain open in each direction.
Several short evening closures are planned at the Hazeldean Road and Highway
417 interchanges and the Highway 7 westbound ramp will be closed for one
weekend. Signs will be posted in advance to warn drivers about the ramp
closure and to redirect traffic to Carp Road.

    <<
    The McGuinty government is on the side of commuters and Ontario families
    with a transportation plan that:

    -   Launched the Southern Ontario Highways Plan to expand about
        130 kilometres of highways, add or replace 64 bridges and repair
        about 1,600 kilometres of highways and 200 bridges across Southern
        Ontario over five years
    -   Will invest more than $1.4 billion over five years from provincial
        gas tax funding to improve and expand transit services across Ontario
    -   Invested $1.2 billion to improve public transit, municipal roads and
        bridges across the province through Move Ontario.

June 2006Previous releaseSagging demand for trucks drove new motor vehicle sales down for a third consecutive month in June. Sales slipped by 0.6% in June after edging down by 0.8% in May and 1.0% in April. Consumers drove 134,734 new vehicles off dealers' lots in June, 770 fewer vehicles than in the previous month. Sales in the second quarter of 2006 weakened slightly, edging down 1.1%, partially offsetting the 2.0% increase recorded in the first quarter.

Although sales have declined slightly over the past three months with the absence of major promotions or incentive programs, in general new motor vehicle sales have remained relatively stable since the end of 2005. This stability follows a series of major sales swings throughout much of 2005 which were heavily influenced by the introduction and subsequent removal of major incentive programs such as "employee pricing". Previously, sales had declined steeply at the end of 2003 before recovering partially and then levelling off for the remainder of 2004.

Based on preliminary sales figures from the auto industry, the number of new motor vehicles sold rebounded by about 3% in July. These preliminary estimates indicate the increase was the result of truck sales rising after several months of declines. New passenger car sales, on the other hand, are estimated to have declined slightly in July.

Truck sales slump in June

Lacklustre trucks sales have been the primary driver of declining new motor vehicle sales over the past three months, and have been mostly outperformed by passenger car sales in the first half of 2006.

Though consumers' recent predilection for comparatively more fuel efficient cars may be partly attributable to high sustained gasoline prices (prices at the pump were among record highs in May and June), trucks have not bowed out yet: preliminary estimates show that car sales lost ground in July, and that trucks sales staged a comeback.

Trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) accounted for all of the sales losses in June, falling 5.0%. After posting some small increases in the first few months of 2006, truck sales have since slumped significantly. Truck sales had been gradually rising since the beginning of 2004, although they showed great volatility in 2005.

Sales of new passenger cars were fairly strong in June, pulling ahead 3.5% compared to May. Overseas built cars gained 4.8% in June, and other than a decline in January have gained steadily in 2006. Sales of North American built vehicles posted their strongest increase in the past five months, advancing 2.8% in June. North American built vehicles have not realized the same gains as overseas built cars so far in 2006.

Overall, car sales have been trending up slightly over the past eight months, following a softening in the late summer months of 2005, as generous incentive programs came to an end.

Mixed results across the country

The cup appeared half-empty in June. Although half of the provinces registered sales gains during the month, overall sales were pulled down by heavy-weights such as Quebec and Alberta where there were sizeable declines.

In terms of the number of vehicles sold, the largest decreases in June were seen in Quebec and in Alberta. Sales in Quebec declined 2.4% or by about 750 vehicles. Sales also declined 2.4% in Alberta, the equivalent of about 500 fewer vehicles leaving dealers' lots. Sales have generally been very strong in Alberta, as this was only the second decrease for the province in eight months.

Other provinces to register declines were Prince Edward Island (-3.9%), Saskatchewan (-1.7%), and Ontario (-0.1%).

With the exception of Prince Edward Island, sales in most of Eastern Canada saw a recovery in June after weak sales in May. Sales shot ahead 9.9% in Newfoundland and Labrador, an increase of about 200 vehicles. Sales also increased in Nova Scotia (+2.2%) and New Brunswick (+1.0%).

Out West, automotive sales in the region formed by British Columbia and the territories continued to roar ahead, with sales gaining 1.3% in June. Sales in that region have risen steadily over the past seven months, with the exception of a brief drop in April. Sales in Manitoba also rose in June, gaining 2.7% after two months of declines.

New motor vehicle sales
	June 2005	May 2006r	June 2006p	June 2005 to June 2006	May to June 2006
	Seasonally adjusted
	number of vehicles			% change
New motor vehicles	139,639	135,504	134,734	-3.5	-0.6
Passenger cars	72,282	70,753	73,195	1.3	3.5
North American1	49,393	46,526	47,814	-3.2	2.8
Overseas	22,889	24,227	25,381	10.9	4.8
Trucks, vans and buses	67,357	64,751	61,540	-8.6	-5.0
New motor vehicles
Newfoundland and Labrador	2,072	1,944	2,137	3.1	9.9
Prince Edward Island	420	414	398	-5.2	-3.9
Nova Scotia	3,910	3,683	3,763	-3.8	2.2
New Brunswick	2,882	2,797	2,824	-2.0	1.0
Quebec	35,190	32,253	31,491	-10.5	-2.4
Ontario	52,299	50,736	50,677	-3.1	-0.1
Manitoba	3,959	3,631	3,730	-5.8	2.7
Saskatchewan	3,514	3,437	3,380	-3.8	-1.7
Alberta	18,995	20,502	20,019	5.4	-2.4
British Columbia2	16,398	16,109	16,317	-0.5	1.3
	June 2005	May 2006	June 2006p	June 2005 to June 2006
	Unadjusted
	number of vehicles			% change
New motor vehicles	166,024	173,291	162,033	-2.4
Passenger cars	85,599	96,175	88,055	2.9
North American1	57,953	64,032	56,827	-1.9
Overseas	27,646	32,143	31,228	13.0
Trucks, vans and buses	80,425	77,116	73,978	-8.0
New motor vehicles
Newfoundland and Labrador	2,865	2,839	2,903	1.3
Prince Edward Island	553	540	561	1.4
Nova Scotia	4,916	5,332	4,856	-1.2
New Brunswick	3,682	3,729	3,674	-0.2
Quebec	43,267	44,269	39,043	-9.8
Ontario	62,037	63,276	61,377	-1.1
Manitoba	4,552	4,479	4,331	-4.9
Saskatchewan	3,784	3,849	3,897	3.0
Alberta	21,327	25,907	22,356	4.8
British Columbia2	19,041	19,071	19,035	-0.0
r revised p preliminary 1. Manufactured or assembled in Canada, the United States or Mexico. 2. Includes Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Note to readers

All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

Passenger cars include those used for personal and commercial purposes, such as taxis or rental cars. Trucks include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses.

North American built new motor vehicles include vehicles manufactured or assembled in Canada, the United States or Mexico. All other new motor vehicles are considered to have been manufactured overseas.

For reasons of confidentiality, data for Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included with those for British Columbia.

The New Motor Vehicle Sales Survey is compiled on the basis of figures obtained from motor vehicle manufacturers and importers. These results may vary from those obtained directly from auto dealers, due to possible differences in record keeping.

- Total July sales down 13.7 per cent from record-setting July 2005
- Sales in July, 2006 show market improvement over June, 2006
- "Employee Price Discount Plus" program extended
- Dodge Caliber, Dodge Charger and Dodge Ram sales remain strong
- Product offensive kicks in with 2007 Jeep Compass beginning to arrive at dealerships

WINDSOR, ON - DaimlerChrysler Canada today reported a total of 18,642 units sold in July, including 4,759 cars and 13,883 trucks. Compared to the record-setting July, 2005, sales for the month are down 13.7 per cent. Car sales for July 2006 decreased 7.9 per cent and truck sales decreased 15.6 per cent. Both comparisons are impacted by the unusually high July 2005 sales, when employee pricing for all consumers was offered for the first time in Canada. DaimlerChrysler Canada's unique marketing and incentive programs will continue to support sales through August.

"Despite a host of economic challenges, July sales were strong from a historical perspective indicating we are getting a good response to our current product lineup and marketing programs," said Dave Buckingham, Vice President - Sales, DaimlerChrysler Canada. "Examples of strong performance came from diverse products including the compact size Dodge Caliber, the full size Dodge Charger and the full size Dodge Ram pick up. With new products like the Jeep Compass already showing up in dealer showrooms, and more new products coming later this year, there is plenty of reason for optimism."

DaimlerChrysler Canada will extend the "Employee Price Discount Plus" plan to August 31. These remain the best prices of the year, and include up to $6,000 in delivery allowances, plus zero per cent purchase financing for 36 months or available 0% 24 month leases, and our 30-day return program.

July sales highlights

---------------------

The new 2007 Jeep Compass has begun reaching dealer show rooms and 48 sales were recorded for the month.
The 2007 Dodge Caliber continues to be a big hit with consumers. The new, fuel-efficient compact crossover sold 2,439 units, up from 2,049 last month. Sales of full-sized Dodge Ram pick up were steady at 3,658 units.

Year-to-date sales highlights
-----------------------------

Year-to-date, DaimlerChrysler Canada sales are down 3 per cent, with cars up .5 per cent and trucks down 4.2 per cent. Three Dodge models are showing strong year to date improvements: Dodge Charger, Dodge Ram and Dodge Sprinter.

In the absence of major promotions or incentive programs, new motor vehicle sales have remained relatively stable over the last six months. This followed a series of major sales swings throughout much of 2005, which were heavily influenced by the introduction and subsequent removal of major incentive programs such as "employee pricing". After a steep decline at the end of 2003, new motor vehicle sales recovered partially and then levelled off for the remainder of 2004.

Based on preliminary sales figures from the auto industry, the number of new motor vehicles sold declined slightly for a third consecutive month in June. However, preliminary estimates indicate a turn-around in car sales, which is being dampened by a sizeable decrease in the sale of trucks, minivans, sport-utility vehicles and buses.

Car and truck sales both dip

Sales of both passenger cars and trucks weakened in May, with trucks accounting for the bulk of the decrease. With the exception of February, car sales have outperformed truck sales during the first five months of 2006.

Trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) accounted for the majority of falling sales in May, dropping 1.6%. After getting off to a positive start in the first few months of 2006, truck sales are now showing signs of weakening. Truck sales had been gradually rising since the beginning of 2004, although they showed great volatility in 2005.

Car sales edged down slightly in May, declining 0.4%. Overseas built cars decreased 1.0%, weakening for the first time in four months. Sales of North American built vehicles remained largely unchanged in May, although these sales have generally been faring less well in 2006 than those of overseas built vehicles.

Overall, car sales have remained relatively stable over the past seven months, following a softening during the early autumn of 2005, as generous incentive programs came to an end. Prior to this, sales had increased gradually during the first half of 2005. In 2004, sales remained relatively stable following some increases early in the year.

East-West split in May sales

New motor vehicle sales declined in six provinces in May. However, sales in Western Canada fared well, while Central and Eastern Canada generally saw declines. The exceptions to this were an up-tick in sales in Prince Edward Island and slumping sales in Manitoba.

Sales in most of Eastern Canada continued to languish into May. New motor vehicle sales in New Brunswick declined for a third consecutive month, down 0.9%. In Nova Scotia, sales fell even more sharply (-3.8%), declining to the lowest level since October 2005.

Ontario and Quebec were not immune to softer sales in May either. Ontario saw sales dip 2.1% for the third decline in four months. A 1.6% decrease in Quebec was enough to erase the gains of the two previous months. Sales in Quebec had been somewhat stronger early in 2006, as the decline in May was the first in four months.

A booming economy in Western Canada continued to give strength to new motor vehicle sales in that region. Saskatchewan registered the strongest increase in new motor vehicle sales in May, as sales climbed 6.6%. Sales in Alberta rose 1.3%, marking the sixth gain in the last seven months. During the same period, sales in Alberta have surged 12.5%.

Note to readers

All data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

Passenger cars include those used for personal and commercial purposes, such as taxis or rental cars. Trucks include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses.

North American built new motor vehicles include vehicles manufactured or assembled in Canada, the United States or Mexico. All other new motor vehicles are considered to have been manufactured overseas.

For reasons of confidentiality, data for Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included with those for British Columbia.

The New Motor Vehicle Sales Survey is compiled on the basis of figures obtained from motor vehicle manufacturers and importers. These results may vary from those obtained directly from auto dealers, due to possible differences in record keeping.

Study(SM) released today.

The inaugural study examines Canadian manufacturer Web sites from the viewpoint of new-vehicle shoppers. Four areas are examined to determine overall satisfaction. They are (in order of importance): information/content (37%); ease of navigation (22%); appearance (21%); and speed of pages loading (20%).

Kia ranks highest among all automotive manufacturer Canadian Web sites with an overall index score of 848 points on a 1,000-point scale. Kia receives the highest ratings in the areas of speed and navigation. Hyundai (845) and Mazda (840), respectively, follow Kia in the rankings.

"Manufacturer Web sites have become potent tools in driving traffic to dealerships, and the design and overall functionality of sites play a key role in influencing new-vehicle shoppers," said Rohan Lobo, manager of automotive syndicated research at J.D. Power and Associates in the Toronto office. "The initial showroom experience is evolving from traditional dealerships to computer screens in consumers' homes, and a good Web site experience helps to close the deal by encouraging shoppers to test drive a vehicle. We find that there is a clear link between Web site satisfaction and increased intentions to test drive a vehicle."

The study finds that luxury new-vehicle shoppers generally display lower levels of satisfaction with the Web sites they visit. These shoppers are least satisfied with the areas of speed and appearance.

"Luxury sites tend to be more content heavy, which can affect the speed aspect of overall satisfaction," said Lobo. "The implication seems to be that content and functionality somewhat counterbalance each other. There is a fine line between the right amount of information and too much, which then imposes on ease of use, appearance and speed."

The study also finds that the top-performing Web sites generally have some common design elements:

<<

- Users are able to stay relatively close to and easily access the home

page

- All models are displayed in a side panel for easy browsing options

- Menu panels are typically static, providing a clear frame of

reference and quick navigation

- Reduced need for mouse clicks

- Fast-loading pages

- Simple, clear and consistent color schemes

- Interactive 360degrees views of each vehicle

>>

Other significant findings are differences in satisfaction by age and gender. Customers ages 35 and under are considerably more satisfied with all aspects of the Web sites they visit, which is typically a function of their greater comfort with the online shopping experience. Males rate sites less favourably than females, providing lower satisfaction scores for all except two of the 24 Web sites measured in the study.

The 2006 Canadian Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study is based on evaluations provided by 3,918 new-vehicle shoppers who indicated they would be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 12 months.

Nationally, about 25% of workers spent 90 minutes or more going from home to work and back last year. This was a big jump from only 17% in 1992.

On the other hand, workers with relatively short travel times were rarer. In 2005, about 21% spent 30 minutes or less, down from 27% in 1992.

The survey found that in all provinces except British Columbia, more workers allocated more time to making the round trip last year. Fewer of them did it in less than one hour, but these averages varied from region to region.

In British Columbia, the average duration of the round trip did not change significantly between 1992 and 2005 (around 60 minutes). However, for the three Prairie provinces, average travel times went from 45 minutes to 57 minutes.

About 71% of workers on the Prairies spent less than one hour commuting between their home and their workplace in 1992. By 2005, this proportion had declined to 56%.

In the Atlantic provinces, the average travel time also rose significantly. In 1992, nearly 45% of workers spent less than 30 minutes making the round trip. By 2005, only 30% did so.

In Quebec, the proportion of workers taking an hour and a half or more to get to and from work went from 15% in 1992 to 27% in 2005.

On the local level, only 47% of Montréal workers spent an hour or more traveling both ways between home and work in 1992. By 2005, this had risen to 60%.

In Calgary, the increase was even larger: in 2005, 57% of workers spent an hour or more getting to and from their workplace, up from only 36% in 1992.

Average travel time rising for both drivers and public transit users

Car drivers generally spend much less time traveling to and from work than do public transit users.

In 2005, for example, the majority (55%) of workers traveling by car made the round trip between home and work in less than 60 minutes. But only 13% of individuals commuting by bus or subway spent less than an hour.

The average duration of the round trip between home and workplace increased for both public transit users and automobile users between 1992 and 2005.

For those traveling by car, the average went from 51 minutes to 59 minutes. For public transit users, it rose from 94 minutes to 106 minutes.

In 2005, almost two-thirds (64%) of workers using public transit spent 90 minutes or more of their day commuting between their home and their workplace. In 1992, the proportion was 48%.

For workers traveling by car, the proportion whose round trip took an hour and a half went from 15% to 21% during this period.

In all three years the General Social Survey has been conducted, the percentage of workers using a car to commute between home and work has remained virtually unchanged at about 86%.

In contrast, only 12% of workers used the bus or subway in 2005 for all or part of their commute. This was virtually unchanged from 1992 and 1998. About 11% of people went to work on foot or by bicycle.

The proportion of workers using public transit to get to work was higher in large urban areas, where service is more accessible to workers.

In 2005, 20% of workers living in the six largest metropolitan areas used the bus or subway for part or all of their commute. Again, this proportion did not change significantly between 1992 and 2005.

Factors associated with a longer or shorter travel time

Several factors have an impact on the time it takes commuters to get to work. These include the obvious ones — distance from the workplace, transportation mode and metropolitan area of residence.

To determine the independent impact of each of these factors on travel times, this study did an analysis comparing travel times when holding all other influences constant.

The results showed that the most ideal situation for commuting is that of workers who live in an urban area with a population under 50,000 or a rural area, who live less than 5 kilometres from their workplace, who commute by automobile, who have no children to drop off and pick up, and who make no stops.

On average, such workers will spend about one quarter of an hour on the round trip between their home and their workplace on a weekday.

Not surprisingly, the greater the distance between home and workplace, the greater the average duration of the round trip.

For example, compared with workers living less than 5 kilometres from their workplace, the predicted round-trip duration increases by 25 minutes for those living 15 to 19 kilometres from their workplace, by 48 minutes for those living 30 to 34 kilometres away, and so on.

Mode of transportation is a major factor. All things being equal, commuters who use public transit to get to work (without also using an automobile) spend an average of 41 minutes longer on their commute than those using an automobile.

And among those who use both public transit and an automobile, the predicted travel time is also 41 minutes longer than for those traveling by automobile only (assuming the same distance between home and place of work).

Not surprisingly the average duration of the round trip for workers living in the largest cities is longer, on average, than for workers living in smaller communities. For example, the average duration of round trips for workers living in the metropolitan area of Toronto is 37 minutes longer than for workers living in urban areas with populations under 50,000. However, after having taken into account the other factors associated with commuting times (like distance to work and mode of transportation), the predicted travel time was reduced to 20 supplementary minutes for Toronto residents.

Looking after children during the commute increases travel time. When the impact of all other factors is taken into account, dropping off and picking up children at daycare or elsewhere stretches the round trip by 21 minutes.

Note to readers

This release is the first of a series of four on time use based on data from Cycle 19 of the General Social Survey conducted in 2005. Previous such surveys were conducted in 1998, 1992 and 1986.

Today's article analyzes the time that Canadians spend commuting from home to work and back.

Future articles using time use data will analyze paid and unpaid work done by men and women (July 19); time spent in both leisure and work by Canadians aged 55 and over (July 26); and the impact of the Internet on how Canadians spend their time (August 2).

In this survey, nearly 20,000 individuals aged 15 and over were asked to report in a daily journal details on the time they participated in various activities on a given day, everything from child care to participating in cultural or sporting activities, or running errands on the way home from work. The survey covered 10 provinces.

Today's release on commuting focuses solely on the travel times of workers making the round trip between their place of residence and their workplace on weekdays.

There were 44,400 firms active in the truck transportation industry in 2003. Overall, 35,000 firms identified themselves as owner operators, followed by 5,900 small for-hire carriers, or those with less than $1 million in revenue, and 3,500 for-hire carriers above that threshold.

Small for-hire carriers generated total operating revenues of $1.63 billion, for a $273,000 per carrier average. Their operating expenses totalled $1.52 billion or about $255,000 per carrier. Their main operating expenditures were salaries, wages and benefits representing 27% of total expenses, fuel cost (21%) and other expenses (19%).

For these carriers, intra-provincial movements were responsible for almost three-quarters of the total operating expenses (73% or $1.19 billion). A little more than half (53%) of these carriers were specialized in local transportation. Geographically, Ontario was home to almost a third (31%) of these small for-hire carriers, followed by Quebec with 26%.

Meanwhile, owner operators generated total revenue of $6.80 billion or about $194,000 per carrier. At the same time, their operating expenses totalled $6.19 billion for an annual average of $177,000 per carrier. The main operating expenses incurred by owner operators were salaries, wages and benefits, and fuel expenses (both with 23%), followed by other expenses (14%).

Intra-provincial movements accounted for 67% of the total operating revenues generated by owner operators ($4.55 billion). On a distinctive note, 53% of these carriers specialized in long distance transportation. However, their geographic distribution was similar to the one observed for small for-hire carriers.

Mr. Bigland replaces Steven J. Landry who has recently been appointed Vice President - Sales & Field Operations, Chrysler Group for the U.S. market. Mr. Landry remains Chairman of DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc. overseeing the strategic direction of the company.

"Reid Bigland's 18 years of experience in the Canadian and U.S. transportation business, including management positions in sales, dealer operations and labour operations, lines up well with the opportunities and challenges facing DaimlerChrysler Canada," said Eberhardt. "Together with Steven Landry, DaimlerChrysler has a uniquely-experienced leadership team driving our Canadian organization forward."

Mr. Bigland returns home to Canada from his previous position as President of Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, a South Carolina-based business unit out of DaimlerChrysler's Commercial Vehicle Group.

Mr. Bigland started his career with Canadian Airlines International in 1988 holding positions in the areas of operations and labour relations. In 1997, Mr. Bigland joined the Canadian commercial truck company Western Star Trucks, which eventually became a part of DaimlerChrysler's Freightliner organization. In 1999, Bigland relocated to the United States where he held a number of positions increasing in responsibility in the areas of sales and dealer operations and general management at Freightliner LLC.

Bigland, 40, was born in Kamloops, BC and grew up in Vancouver and Toronto. Mr. Bigland holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia and will be relocating from Gaffney, South Carolina to the Windsor area with his wife and two children.

Bigland's work background includes:

- President of Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, June 2005

- General Manager of Dealer Operations, Freightliner LLC US, March 2002

- Director of Vocational Sales, Freightliner LLC's Sterling Trucks and

Western Star Trucks, February, 2001

- Director of US Sales, Western Star Trucks, April 1999

His work background in Canada includes:

- Director of Human Resources, Western Star Trucks, July 1997

- Manager, Crew Planning and Contracts Administration, Canadian Airlines

International, June 1996

- Operations Manager, BC Transit Corporation, September 1995

- Labour Relations Specialist, Canadian Airlines International, August

1992

- Quality Performance Manager, Canadian Airlines International, October

1991

- Ramp Services Supervisor, Canadian Airlines International, May 1990

Marc Comeau, GM of Canada's vice-president of sales, service, and marketing said ""Our June results for Canada were driven by continued sales increases for our many new models. We have maintained our strategic focus on high quality new designs and value pricing. Our traditional Canada Wide Clearance began mid-June, providing consumers with even greater value on our remaining '06 models."

Chevrolet cars were up 25%, driven by strong results from the Oshawa-built Impala (up 145%), Cobalt (up 54%) and Malibu (up 11%). Pontiac also posted solid gains of 18%, driven by the G6 and Torrent. Saab set another monthly record, up 28%, and Cadillac was up 7% over last year.

Sales Highlights for June 2006

------------------------------

<<

- Chevrolet Cobalt continues to gain momentum with another record

month, exceeding last year's combined sales for Cavalier and

Cobalt

- GMs mid size cars were up a combined 40% over last year. This

gain was led by the Chevrolet Impala and Pontiac G6, both more

than doubling last year's June sales results.

- GM continues to grow sales in the important small utility segment,

where combined sales of the Saturn Vue, Pontiac Torrent, Chevrolet

Equinox and Chevrolet HHR was up 68%

- GMs new full size sport utilities, including the Chevrolet Tahoe

and GMC Yukon, with Active Fuel Management technology were up 60%

from last year.

- The Oshawa-built 1500 series Silverado and Sierra crew cabs were up

23.5% and the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon saw another strong

month, up 27%

- Sales of GM luxury brands remain strong with Saab setting another

monthly record, up 28%, and Cadillac up 7% over last year.

GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA SALES

------------------------------

MONTH OF June 2006

2006 2005 % CHG

TOTAL CARS 24,435 21,246 +15%

TOTAL TRUCKS 20,872 22,061 -5.4%

COMBINED VEHICLES 45,307 43,307 +4.6%

CALENDAR YEAR-TO-DATE: June 30, 2006

2006 2005 % CHG

TOTAL CARS 108,952 117,658 -7.4%

TOTAL TRUCKS 111,964 119,991 -6.7%

COMBINED VEHICLES 220,916 237,649 -7.0%

>>

Headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, General Motors of Canada employs more than 20,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures a variety of vehicles, engines, transmissions and other components, and markets the full range of General Motors vehicles and related services through 765 dealerships and retailers across Canada. Vehicles sold through this network include Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac.

"We're very pleased with how our hybrid vehicles have contributed to the strength of our Toyota and Lexus brands in Canada," said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director of TCI, "and we look forward to introducing additional hybrid options for Canadian drivers in the coming years."

The Toyota hybrid lineup includes the mid-size Prius, the all-new 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid intermediate SUV. Lexus hybrid offerings include the GS 450h luxury hybrid sedan and the RX 400h luxury hybrid SUV. Sales highlights for these vehicles include:

- June 2006 marked the 5,000th unit sale of the second-generation
Prius, bringing the cumulative total of this popular mass-produced
hybrid to 6,146 in Canada. Toyota sold 155 Prius during the month,
bringing year to date sales to 1,136. That's up 30.4 per cent
compared to the first six months of 2005. Prius continues to be the
best selling hybrid vehicle in Canada and the world.

- Toyota sold 273 Camry Hybrids in June 2006. The Camry Hybrid
accounted for roughly 10 per cent of all Camry sales, in just its
second month of availability.

- Toyota sold 63 Highlander Hybrids in June, compared to 150 of the
conventionally-powered Toyota Highlander models. More than one in
four Highlander buyers chose the hybrid version. For the first half
of 2006, a total of 343 Highlander Hybrids were sold.

- Lexus sold 25 GS 450h intermediate luxury hybrid sedans in June 2006.
That compares very favourably to 44 GS 300/GS 430 conventionally-
powered models sold during the month, accounting for over 36 per cent
of all GS sales.

- Lexus sold 77 RX 400h luxury hybrid SUVs in June 2006, compared to
302 of the RX 350 conventionally-powered models. Over 20 per cent of
RX buyers chose the hybrid version. Lexus sold a total of 396 RX 400h
units from January to June 2006.

Toyota has offered Canadians a hybrid alternative since 2000, and in the past six years the company has broadened the lineup. Toyota now offers Canadians a complete range of clean, efficient, powerful hybrid alternatives to the conventional gasoline-driven vehicle. Toyota and Lexus now offer a choice of car and truck hybrid models to suit every budget and taste, with hybrid models covering all drive train configurations - including front, rear, and all wheel drive.

"Hybrids are not a novelty: they are the platform upon which we will introduce new, exciting Toyota and Lexus vehicles," Mr. Beatty continued. "Lexus has already announced the LS 600hL - a hybrid, all-wheel drive, long-wheelbase version of the upcoming, redesigned LS series prestige luxury sedan, which will arrive in Canadian showrooms next year - and we have demonstrated the hybrid system's versatility and power capabilities in the FTX concept full-size pick-up truck."

In each case, Toyota tunes the hybrid system to optimize the performance and efficiency of the vehicle in which it's installed. Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive strikes a perfect balance of clean, efficient, and powerful engine response, while the Lexus Hybrid Drive maximizes the performance of the vehicle, even as it provides the benefits of clean and efficent power.

"Toyota has already sold more than 500,000 hybrid vehicles around the world, and continues to develop new versions of its hybrid power system to use in forthcoming vehicles," Mr. Beatty concluded. "With the positive response from the market in Canada and elsewhere, I'm confident Toyota will achieve its goal of selling one million hybrid vehicles world-wide early in the next decade."

In its introductory month, 507 Rabbits were sold. We are pleased with this result and we look forward to continued success with the Rabbit. New Beetle sales have also risen sharply since June of 2005 with the combined increase of the coupe and the convertible by 61.4%. Finally, we are pleased to report a 12.9% increase in Touareg sales for June 2006 compared with to the same period last year.

TORONTO - 407 ETR announced July 4 that it has launched a savings program for heavy vehicles that frequently use the highway. The program reduces the Video Toll Charge and also provides toll rate reductions of up to 50 per cent during night-time, weekend and off-peak hours. Since it encourages usage during off-peak hours, this program will benefit truckers and improve peak-hour traffic flow for all customers.

"This is good news for truckers who frequently use 407 ETR and it offers real savings," said Antonio de Santiago, President and Chief Executive Officer of 407 ETR. "We want to thank them for their usage and reward them for properly managing their account and transponders. Over 10,000 accounts, representing tens-of-thousands of trucks, will benefit from this savings program."

Eligibility is based on the customer's payment history, usage of the highway and use of a transponder on every trip. By law, all vehicles with a gross weight or registered gross weight of over 5,000 kilograms must use a properly mounted heavy vehicle transponder. Using these criteria, heavy vehicle customers may qualify for one of the following tiers in the program:

<< Tier 1

- 50% off night-time and weekend toll rates
- 25% off off-peak toll rates
- waived Video Toll Charges
Tier 2

- 25% off night-time and weekend toll rates
- 10% off off-peak toll rates
- 70% reduction on Video Toll Charges
Tier 3

- 70% reduction on Video Toll Charges
>>

Customers in the top two tiers were sent notification of the program in June so they could take immediate advantage of the program which started on July 1, 2006. Customers will see their specific savings on each monthly bill.

407 ETR Concession Company Limited ("407 ETR") is the operator and manager of Highway 407, which extends 108 kilometres east-west, just north of Toronto. 407 International Inc., the sole shareholder of 407 ETR, is owned by a consortium comprised of Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, Macquarie Infrastructure Group and SNC-Lavalin.

For details about the Heavy Vehicle Savings Program, visit www.407etr.com.

Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and light trucks also showed an increase of 14.2% for the month of June while the year-to-date sales now amount to 7,257 units, an impressive gain of 32.6%.

Smart reported its best June ever with a total of 385 units and an increase of 14.2%. This is the third monthly record in a row for smart.

The C-Class continues a successful sales momentum; 299 units were retailed in June. The S-Class is still outselling all other models in its category and models such as the B-Class Sports Tourer, the SLK-Class roadster and the M-Class SUV are generating important overall volumes.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada said, "It is extremely rewarding for us to report such tremendous record-breaking sales at the end of June 2006. It is only in close collaboration with all of our dealers and employees that we have been able to achieve these best results to date." He adds, "A winning combination of new and existing products have allowed us to make such inroads in the marketplace; we have also actively targeted new buyers and these efforts are now evidently paying off."

June-06 Actual

--------------

A3 130

TT 15

A4 389

A4/S4 Cabriolet 38

A6 78

Audi Q7 35

A8 20

TOTAL 705

-----------------

- Total Nissan brand sales were 4,393 units.

- X-trail sold 810 units to lead SUV sales.

- Quest sold 354 units.

- Frontier sold 203 units.

INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS

-------------------

- Total Infiniti brand sales were 628 units.

- G35 led all Infiniti models with 363 units sold.

- M35/45 sold 110 units.

NCI HIGHLIGHTS

--------------

- NCI sold 5,021 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles combined this month.

- June sales impacted by run-out of models to be replaced in the fall

- Sales for first half of 2006 down 1 per cent from 2005

- Brampton-built products (Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger & Magnum) up 6
per cent YTD

WINDSOR, ON, July 4 /CNW/ - DaimlerChrysler Canada today reported a total of 17,755 units sold in June, including 3,638 cars and 14,117 trucks. Compared to the all-time record June sales of 27,170 units in June 2005, sales for the month are down 34.7 per cent. Car sales for June 2006 decreased 54.4 per cent and truck sales decreased 26.4 per cent. Both comparisons are impacted by the unusually high June 2005 sales, which included an increase of 28 per cent in car sales and a 40 per cent increase in Jeep(R) brand sales.

Compared to the first six months of 2005, total sales for the same period in 2006 are virtually flat with a decrease of 1 per cent (1,111 units) due mainly to the run-out of two products, Chrysler Sebring and Jeep TJ, which are being replaced. Year-to-date sales for the Chrysler Sebring are down 14.2 percent (1,523 units), while Jeep TJ sales are down 36.8 per cent (883 units). The all-new 2007 Chrysler Sebring and the all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited will be available in dealerships in the second half of this year.

"Despite the seemingly large decline in June sales versus our record performance last year, we are still seeing healthy showroom traffic and go into the summer months offering our best deals of the year," said David Buckingham, Vice President, Sales, DaimlerChrysler Canada. "For the first half of the year, we are pleased with the performance of both our car and truck lines, especially the new Dodge Caliber and the Dodge Ram pickup. The second half of the year looks promising with the Chrysler Sebring and Jeep TJ replacements, and all-new products like Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass, arriving in dealerships."

June sales highlights

---------------------

Dodge Charger sales grew 11.6 per cent over June, 2005 and Dodge Durango sales increased 14.7 per cent. Dodge Caliber, still in launch phase, added 2,049 sales and continues to sell at a fast rate with 7,912 sales year to date.

Year-to-date sales highlights

-----------------------------

Year-to-date, DaimlerChrysler Canada sales are down 1 per cent, with cars up 1.9 per cent and trucks down 2 per cent. Supporting this stable sales performance is the continued popularity of the three vehicles produced in Brampton, Ontario. Year-to-date, combined sales of the Chrysler 300/300C, Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum improved 6 per cent to reach 13,483 units. Compact cars sales (Dodge Caliber and remaining Dodge SX 2.0) continue to grow with a total year to date of 9,638, a 29 per cent increase over SX 2.0 sales in the first six months of 2005.

The Honda Element posted a 38 per cent increase in June and set a sales record with 378 units, breaking the previous record of 360 units in June of 2003. Also showing strong sales results was the Honda CR-V sport-utility vehicle with an increase of 23 per cent. Sales of the new Civic continued strong with 5,989 units - up 8 per cent over last year. Sales of the Acura TL luxury sports sedan were up 15 per cent, and the Canadian-built Acura CSX luxury compact sedan posted a 6 per cent increase.

The total distance driven by vehicles registered in Canada fell 18% in the last quarter of 2005 compared to the previous quarter.

Light vehicles (those weighing less than 4.5 tonnes) were driven an average of 3,650 kilometres during the period October 1 to December 31, 2005, down 18% from 4,460 kilometres in the previous three-month period.

Medium-duty trucks (those weighing 4.5 tonnes to under 15 tonnes) were also driven less (-21%) during the fourth quarter. The average distance driven was 4,460 kilometres compared to 5,650 kilometres during the third quarter.

While usage of light vehicles and medium-duty trucks tends to be more influenced by the season, heavy-duty trucks (those weighing 15 tonnes or more) are used much more consistently throughout the year. The average distance driven in fourth quarter rose to 18,150 kilometres from 17,680 kilometres in the previous quarter, an increase of 3%.

The Canadian Vehicle Survey measures the activity of all on-road vehicles registered in Canada with the exception of some vehicles such as buses, motorcycles, construction equipment and road maintenance equipment.

Estimates of total vehicle-kilometres are available by province and territory. Estimates of passenger-kilometres are available by province only.

TORONTO - The Government of Canada will award over $491,380 to four projects in Ontario that advance transportation planning and enhance integration and connections between modes. The projects are being funded under the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiatives, as announced today by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

"These projects will help to investigate how we can better combine transportation modes for greater efficiency and integration of the transportation system," said Minister Cannon. "They also demonstrate the Government of Canada's commitment and willingness to encourage innovation and creativity to solve current transportation challenges."

"Building an integrated transportation system requires that transportation needs be considered from system-wide and strategic perspectives," said the Honourable John Baird, President of the Treasury Board. "These projects will support the development of transportation-related expertise and research in the public, private and academic sectors in the province and help us to be more competitive in global trade."

Under the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiatives, applicants can submit project ideas to Transport Canada, which then selects and contributes funding to the successful projects.

As part of the selection process, successful projects have to meet one or more of the following objectives:

<< - support trade, tourism and traffic flows through integrated surface transportation corridors;

- enhance integration and improve connections between modes, through infrastructure and technology initiatives;

- increase transportation mobility, safety, security and efficiency for private, public and commercial system users;

- promote the integration of sustainable transportation principles into transportation decisions; or

- improve data collection for more effective policy planning and operational management.

To date, approximately $5 million in funding has been granted to a total of 45 projects across the country, including the projects announced today. Federal funding for these projects was built into the existing financial framework.

A backgrounder describing the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiatives and the winning projects is attached.

BACKGROUNDER

------------


TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AND MODAL INTEGRATION INITIATIVES

---------------------------------

The Government of Canada encourages the development of innovative approaches to transportation issues to boost the efficiency and integration of the transportation system as a whole and ensure its sustainability. By supporting the development of transportation-related expertise and research in the public, private and academic sectors, Transport Canada can foster the innovation that will be required to help our transportation system adapt to the challenges of the future. Funding for the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiative is part of the Government of Canada's $600-million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program.

The following projects have been selected for the second round of funding under the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiative.

Project descriptions
--------------------

The Case for Transportation Demand Management & Supportive Guidelines for Development Approvals

The Association for Commuter Transportation of Canada, located in Ottawa, will receive up to $85,000 to address immediate needs to build knowledge about the management of transportation demand in Canada. The project consists of conducting cross-Canada workshops to share transportation demand management information and promote the integration of sustainable transportation principles.

Creating a Network of New Mobility Hubs in the Greater Toronto Area - Phase II

Alternative Transportation Options (Moving the Economy) will receive up to $106,380 to create a network of new mobility hubs in the Greater Toronto Area. These hubs provide several transport options (e.g. transit, taxis, car share vehicles, etc.) in the same place. The project seeks to build partnerships with communities, businesses and regional groups; link other hub locations with the Exhibition Place Hub; and promote the network.

Planning and Transportation Study for a New Inter-Modal Bus Terminal in Toronto

The City of Toronto Economic Development Corporation will receive up to $150,000 for a study on a bus terminal near Union Station. It will identify urban/architectural design standards, technical issues, tax incremental financing of infrastructure, pedestrian mobility and tourism elements for the terminal to ensure it promotes multimodalism and maximizes positive impacts on surrounding areas.

Development of an Operational Integrated Urban Modeling System

The University of Toronto will receive up to $150,000 to develop a fully operational, University of Toronto-validated and integrated land use transportation modelling system for the Greater Toronto Area. The modelling system will support the analysis of a broad range of urban transportation and land use planning issues and infrastructure investment alternatives.