Estes to Start Canadian LTL Option
Estes Express Lines is teaming with two Canadian less-than-truckload carriers to offer shipping to Canada under an Estes freight bill.
Estes said April 4 it is working with Speedy Transport of Brampton, Ontario, and Pacific Coast Express Ltd. of Surrey, British Columbia, to offer the Estes Canada service. The new alliance will start May 22, according to Estes.
U.S. shippers will work with only one carrier, Estes, from pickup to delivery, and all freight will be delivered on an Estes delivery receipt, the company said.
Richmond, Va.-based Estes ranks No. 14 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of for-hire carriers and is the sixth-largest LTL on the list.
“The transition to Estes Canada is a logical next step as part of the company’s strategic goal to improve operations and enable Estes to deliver the same service experience customers have come to know through our U.S. domestic service offering,” said Rob Estes, CEO of his family’s business.
The secured portion of the Estes website will have the same functionality for Canada freight as it does for U.S. shipments, so shipping to and from Canada will be as easy as shipping between domestic points, the company said, with all the documentation available in a single portal.
Estes also said it is forming dedicated account teams in Canada to provide the same service level that U.S. customers receive. Freight will ship across the border in Estes pup trailers equipped with captive beams and Estes’ proprietary Webb walls. This direct method of cross-border shipping is meant to reduce handling of freight and decrease risk of damage, the company said.
