Trucking companies are part of the global transportation sector, specializing in the movement of goods along roads and highways and key players in the supply chain.
Many of the biggest trucking companies provide other forms of transportation, including rail and air, and offer logistics services, which can facilitate faster deliveries at lower costs to a greater variety of destinations.
While U.S. companies dominate our list ranked by 12-month trailing(TTM)revenue, some of them are headquartered overseas. This list is limited to companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. or Canada, either directly or throughADRs. Data is courtesy of Yahoo Finance and all figures are as of July 21, 2024.
Key Takeaways
- United Parcel Service is the biggest trucking company, with revenues of nearly $90 billion each year.
- The biggest trucking companies are headquartered in the United States, Canada, and Japan.
- Trucking companies specialize in the movement of goods along roads and highways and act as key players in the supply chain.
Some of the stocks below are only tradedover-the-counter (OTC)in the U.S., not on exchanges. Trading OTC stocks often carries higher trading costs than trading stocks on exchanges. This can lower or even outweigh potential returns.
#1 United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS)
- Revenue (TTM): $89.7 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $5.9 billion
- Market Cap: $124.2 billion
- 1-Year TrailingTotal Return: -18.6%
- Exchange: NYSE
United Parcel Service, or UPS, is one of the world's biggest trucking companies, with nearly half a million employees delivering 22 million packages per day. In addition to truck routes, UPS also moves packages by air and train routes.
#2 FedEx Corp. (FDX)
- Revenue (TTM): $87.7 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $4.3 billion
- Market Cap: $74.8 billion
- 1-Year TrailingTotal Return: 19.3%
- Exchange: NYSE
Originally known as Federal Express, FedEx became famous as the first logistics company to offer what is now a staple in the logistics industry: overnight shipping. Today, FedEx has some 400 freight service centers, and over half a million team members.
#3 Yamato Holdings Co. Ltd. (YATRY)
- Revenue (TTM): $11.4 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $238 million
- Market Cap: $3.97 billion
- 1-Year TrailingTotal Return: -37.6%
- Exchange: OTC Markets
Yamato Holdings is a Japan-based holding company that principally offers delivery services through its group of companies and subsidiaries. It provides parcel delivery, logistics management, moving and distribution services, and appliance installation. The company also offers information services, maintenance of trucks and vehicles for transportation companies, and various financial services.
#4 XPO Inc.(XPO)
- Revenue (TTM): $7.86 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $242 million
- Market Cap: $11.98 billion
- 1-Year TrailingTotal Return: 5.55%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
XPO is one of the largest providers of asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation in North America, moving goods using cutting-edge technology. XPO serves approximately 52,000 shippers with 596 locations. XPO's LTL coverage in North America extends to every US state, including Alaska and Hawaii.
#5 TFI International Inc.(TFII)
- Revenue (TTM): $7.54 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $485.81 million
- Market Cap: $11.62 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 7.32%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
TFI International is a Canada-based freight transportation and logistics services company focused on service that engages in the pickup, transport, tracking, and delivery of items throughout North America. The company's Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)segment offers transportation and delivery of smaller loads, while the truckload segment provides expedited transportation, flatbed, container, and dedicated services.
#6 Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.(KNX)
- Revenue (TTM): $7.33 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $110.23 million
- Market Cap: $7.56 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 0.97%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Knight-Swift Transportation provides truckload transportation and logistics services. Its operations include services on both irregular routes and dedicated, refrigerated, expedited, flatbed, and cross-border services. Knight-Swift is the industry's largest full truckload company with an extensive fleet of approximately 19,000 tractors and 58,000 trailers.
$2.6 trillion
The total value of the global trucking industry in 2023.
#7 Schneider National Inc.(SNDR)
- Revenue (TTM): $5.39 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $159 million
- Market Cap: $3.80 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 2.92%
- Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
Schneider provides transportation and logistics services. The company's transportation solutions include van truckload, dedicated, regional, bulk, intermodal, brokerage, supply chain management, port logistics services, and engineering and freight payment services.
#8 Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.(ODFL)
- Revenue (TTM): $5.88 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $1.25 billion
- Market Cap: $37.53 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 19.37%
- Exchange: NASDAQ
Old Dominion Freight Line is an inter-regional and multi-regional motor carrier. The company provides less-than-truckload shipping of general commodities, including consumer goods, textiles, and capital goods. It also offers truckload brokerage, supply chain consulting, and warehousing.
#9 ArcBest Corp.(ARCB)
- Revenue (TTM): $4.36 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $120.41 million
- Market Cap: $2.47 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: 4.90%
- Exchange: NASDAQ
ArcBest is a holding company engaged in motor carrier transportation and intermodal transportation operations. The company offers national, inter-regional, and regional transportation of general commodities through standard, expedited, and guaranteed less-than-truckload services. It also offers international freight transportation via air, ocean, and ground. Additionally, the company provides premium logistics services as well as roadside assistance and maintenance management services for commercial vehicles through a network of third-party service providers.
#10 Seino Holdings Co. Ltd.(SEOTF)
- Revenue (TTM): $4.1 billion
- Net Income (TTM): $92.7 million
- Market Cap: $1.5 billion
- 1-Year Trailing Total Return: -96%
- Exchange: OTC Markets
Seino Holdings is a diversified Japan-based transportation company focused on transportation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and insurance agency services. It also sells and repairs trucks, passenger cars, and automobile parts. Other businesses include the marketing of fuel and paper products, leasing land, buildings, and truck terminals, and the provision of information and staffing services.
How Much Do Truckers Make?
In 2024, the median income for truckers is a little under $104,000 per year, but that depends on the trucker's location, qualifications, and what kind of truck they drive. It also depends on their employment status: Salaried truckers make about $60,000 per year, and owner-operators make over $320,000. However, truck owners also have to deal with the additional overhead of maintenance and accounting.
How Do You Become a Truck Driver?
The first step to becoming a truck driver is to receive a commercial learner's permit (CPL). This requires a physical test, written exam, and a background check. The next step is to enroll in a training course for the commercial driver's license (CDL), which can cost up to $10,000. However, because these skills are in high demand, many trucking companies offer a tuition reimbursem*nt.
Do Independent Truckers Make Money?
While self-employed truck owner-operators have high revenues, their expenses can run to over 70%, due to maintenance, fuel costs, and "deadhead"—times when the truck is empty when travelling between loads. Cautious truck drivers can reduce these expenses by watching their speed and idle times, and negotiating their fuel surcharges.They can also use digital services to match them with nearby loads, thereby reducing their dead miles.
The Bottom Line
Trucking companies are among the most important sinews of the global transportation system. Unlike ships and railways, they have relatively few geographic limitations, and can carry freight to any destination that the highway can reach.
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