Top 50 Trucking Companies

Canada's largest trucking operator, holding company TransForce, completed its acquisition of Vitran, increasing its LTL market share in Canada and raising its North American profile.

Heavy snow and frigid temperatures in the Midwest will keep Universal Truckload Services' earnings from rising to their projected levels in the first quarter, the trucking firm warned. It's not alone.

Tonnage is growing by double digits for Old Dominion Freight Line, rising 11.7 percent year-over-year in February after climbing 10.1 percent in January.

Higher first quarter volume and revenue at Landstar System reflect rising freight demand and truck rates, despite and perhaps in part thanks to severe weather.

The $4.87 billion less-than-truckload operator scraped through a tumultuous 2013 and promises to focus on improving fundamental processes at YRC Freight in 2014.

Roadrunner, one of the fastest growing large trucking companies, is expanding its truckload business faster thanks to acquisitions, including its purchase of Rich Logistics.

With stronger, steadier economic expansion forecast for this year and truck capacity nearly static, the trucking industry expects to regain some of the pricing power and revenue it will need to cover a host of rising costs, many the result of regulatory initiatives in Washington. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves and Chief Economist Bob Costello sat down with senior editors William B. Cassidy and Mark Szakonyi earlier this month to discuss the economic, regulatory and political outlook for trucking and the industry’s largest member-based lobbying organization in 2014 and beyond.

With a refinancing deal and Teamsters contract that give YRC Worldwide a five-year reprieve, CEO James Welch will focus all efforts at improving “execution” at troubled YRC Freight and on serving shippers better.

YRC Worldwide, the second largest LTL trucker, has five more years to recover from more than $3 billion in losses thanks to a $1.1 billion refinancing package and a decade of Teamsters concessions.

With a 22 percent leap in profit in 2013, Old Dominion Freight Line will continue its long-term expansion, building out its network to handle increased volumes of freight in 2014.

Con-way reported net income in the fourth quarter of 2013 was $11.7 million, slipping 0.9 percent year-over-year from $11.8 million...

Less-than-truckload carrier Saia rolls into 2014 with stronger revenue and profit, thanks to shipping demand that continued to increase in January, despite disruptions caused by winter storms.

ABF Freight System, the less-than-truckload subsidiary of Arkansas Best, returned to profitability in 2013 and expects, with sister company Panther Expedited, to meet stronger demand in 2014.

YRC Worldwide will get an additional two weeks to pay or refinance $69.4 million in long-term debt as it closes a $300 million debt-for-equity swap.

Embarrassed by late deliveries that lowered profits this holiday season, UPS lays out its strategy for improved forecasting, collaboration with shippers and package delivery at the next holiday peak.

Less-than-truckload carrier UPS Freight increased revenue 5.3 percent in 2013 and 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter, thanks to volume and price gains.

The largest U.S. transportation and logistics company increased its profit dramatically in 2013, though holiday delivery disruptions took a bite out of fourth-quarter earnings.

YRC Worldwide is racing to clear the last hurdles to securing $1.15 billion in refinancing before a February debt deadline.

With its new Teamsters contract in hand, YRC Worldwide launched a $300 million debt-for-equity exchange today, the next step in a major debt reduction and refinancing program.

YRC Worldwide’s Teamsters employees approved a five-year contract by a wide margin this weekend, giving the struggling trucking operator concessions needed to refinance $1.36 billion in debt.

The Teamsters union and YRC Worldwide reached a tentative contract agreement Friday that must be reviewed by local union leaders before being put to a vote.

Trucking and logistics giant Con-way expects fourth-quarter earnings to be flat with year-ago results, citing problems at less-than-truckload carrier Con-way Freight and Menlo Worldwide Logistics.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters wants YRC Worldwide to offer “meaningful improvements” in any contract proposal that replaces the one defeated by rank-and-file members last week.

YRC Worldwide said it will revise its failed contract proposal, rather than put the proposal to a second vote. The company is in discussions with Teamsters union leaders.

YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch urged employees “to stay focused on providing the best possible customer service” as the company works “diligently to explore all options available” after YRC Teamsters rejected the company’s contract proposal.

UPS Freight Teamsters approved a new five-year contract last weekend that raises wages but gives the LTL carrier some flexibility to subcontract line-haul work.

YRC Teamsters decisively rejected proposed concessions, casting the company's ability to refinance $1.4 billion in debt before it comes due into doubt.

YRC Worldwide and creditors led by Credit Suisse reached an agreement to refinance $1.15 billion in long-term debt due in 2014 and 2015, if the trucking giant's Teamsters employees agree to extend wage and benefit cuts.

CRST International started 2014 by acquiring BESL Transfer, a flatbed trucking company in Cincinnati. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The deadline is drawing near for a Teamster vote that could decide the fate of $4.9 billion trucking operator YRC Worldwide by deciding whether to extend wage and benefit cuts an additional four years through 2019.

After a rocky start to the fourth quarter in October, Landstar System shifted into higher gear in December, increasing truckload volume and revenue in tandem.

James Welch has his work cut out for him. Over the next month, the CEO of YRC Worldwide and president of YRC Freight must convince 26,000 Teamsters to extend wage and benefits cuts they agreed to in 2010 another four years. Welch also needs to get them onboard with new concessions, including greater use of subcontractors and utility workers.

YRC Worldwide is seeking more than an extension of current concessions in its proposal to Teamster employees.

Canadian trucking operator Manitoulin Transport will acquire Toronto-based less-than-truckload company Vitran for $128 million, including $29 million in debt, the companies said Dec. 9.

YRC Worldwide’s Teamsters employees will decide whether to extend wage concessions until March 2019, helping the trucking giant to refinance its debt and avoid bankruptcy.

Stronger than expected demand pushed up tonnage and revenue at Old Dominion Freight Line in October and November, raising hopes for a quicker-paced fourth quarter recovery.

Teamster leaders will meet next week to review a contract proposal from YRC Worldwide and decide whether to submit it to the membership for a vote.

The Journal of Commerce Truckload Capacity Index rose unexpectedly in the third quarter to a four-year high, but that doesn’t mean more tractor-trailers rolled onto highways and up to shipper docks. Instead, the leap in the index reflects a gathering concentration of capacity at the top of trucking’s food chain, as larger motor carriers acquire and absorb smaller companies to secure drivers, equipment and freight revenue.

YRC Worldwide fell back into the red in the third quarter after a poorly executed network reorganization hurt service.

It took months of bargaining-table wrangling and two rounds of voting, but ABF Freight System finally has its own national master freight agreement. The less-than-truckload carrier and the Teamsters sealed the deal on a five-year agreement in late October when a lone holdout region rejected a strike authorization.