Transport Topics 100 Ranks Leading For-Hire, Private Fleets
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Trucking’s bottom line took a big hit in 2001 as the industry’s leading companies grappled with rising costs and lower revenue, according to an analysis of financial performance of the 100 largest for-hire trucking companies in the United States and Canada.
The analysis of trucking’s latest year, as well as detailed company information, are once again part of the Transport Topics 100 annual company rankings, which is being carried as a pullout section in this issue.
In 2001, freight-hauling revenue declined for a majority of the top for-hire carriers and profits were down across all trucking sectors.
The year ahead promises more freight as the economy continues to recover, but company officials and trucking analysts say that higher costs for equipment and insurance may keep the pressure on earnings.
New security measures could also add to the cost of air and ground freight transportation, as these pages have been reporting since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Since Transport Topics published its first annual ranking of the 100 largest trucking companies in 1989, the newspaper’s goal has been to accurately document the size and scope of the largest trucking operations and provide analysis of the trends that shape the industry.
The addition of the Transport Topics Private 100 brings that same analysis to shipper-owned truck fleets that carry half of the nation's freight and represent a major source of new business for contract and other for-hire carriers.
Although private fleets are dedicated mainly to hauling freight for their parent companies, they are increasingly soliciting freight in competition with for-hire carriers. In some cases, like Dean Foods Corp., private fleets have been spun off and now operate as independent, for-hire carriers.
This story appeared in the July 22 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
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