The first measure that can be used to gauge a mode’s importance is the value it adds — wages and profits made to labor and capital — in each province. A number of factors beyond shipper preference for a specific mode — e.g. proximity to key markets, share of primary commodities in its economy, and access to water — impact the relative importance of a mode in a jurisdiction. With a 4.5 per cent growth rate, trucking is leading all modes in terms of growth and is well ahead of GDP growth (based on 1998 data). That growth is driven primarily by Ontario, where trucking is playing the lead role in servicing the province’s economic growth. However, it should be noted that the importance of commercial carrier transportation in Alberta and to a lesser extent Saskatchewan is considerably underestimated because the principal commodities they produce — oil and natural gas — are generally transported by pipeline, which is not included in these figures. Trucking’s growth is largely attributed to the boom in export freight, particularly in Ontario (8.8 per cent in 1998) and Alberta (7.8 per cent in 1998). Prince Edward Island’s trucking industry has also grown rapidly since the bridge linking the island with the mainland was completed.