About Us

Estes is the largest privately held freight transportation company in North America.

We offer a comprehensive suite of freight shipping services to get your shipments where they need to go, when they need to get there. And because we’re committed to making freight shipping easier, our online tools and applications put all the important information you need, right at your fingertips.

Estes was built on values, but it runs on trust. That’s why after more than 90 years in the freight transportation business, we’re still so dedicated to building strong relationships with the people we serve, and delivering exceptional experiences that keep them coming back:

  • We’re Ethical
    We do right by our customers every time
  • We’re Honest
    We’re straightforward, trustworthy, and transparent
  • We’re Committed
    We go above and beyond to help when challenges arise

At Estes, going the extra mile isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are.

Below are our vital statistics—including information about Estes’ people, fleet, facilities, and accolades.

Employment

  • Employees - 24,305 (2024 year-end - up 6.6% over 2023)
  • Drivers - 11,066 (2024 year-end - up 7.3% over 2023)

Fleet Information

  • Tractors - 10,621 (2024 year-end - up 5.9% over 2023)
    • 175 compressed natural gas-powered (CNG) tractors, 70+ renewable natural gas-powered tractors
  • Trailers - 42,179 (2024 year-end - up 2.0% over 2023)

Shipment and Facilities Information

  • Terminals - 300+ (U.S. and Canada)
    • Nine solar-powered; eight additional locations planned for 2025
  • Terminal doors - 12,162 (2024 year-end - up 6.1% over 2023)
    • 300+ electric forklifts in use
  • Shipment tonnage - 17,383,437,940 pounds (2024 - up 12.1% over 2023)
  • Shipment volume - 13,652,432 (2024 - up 8.9% over 2023)
  • U.S. states with direct service - 50
    • Estes also offers service to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean

Mastio National LTL Survey Ratings (2024)

  • Rated as providing highest value of all national LTL carriers

    Recent Recognition

    Corporate Office

    • 3901 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
    • Phone - (804) 353-1900
    • Fax - (804) 353-8001

    It all began in 1931 when our founder, W.W. Estes bought a used Chevrolet truck to haul livestock to market for his neighbors in rural Virginia. Estes was looking for a way to support his family during The Great Depression but in time his business grew. Soon he was transporting not only livestock, but farm supplies and other goods to nearby farms, small towns, and large cities. Over the next five years he hired his first drivers, opened an office in Chase City, Virginia, and officially named the company Estes Express Lines.

    In the last nine decades, this one-man trucking operation has grown into the largest privately held freight carrier in the nation. Today, Estes has more than 24,000 employees, a fleet of more than 10,600 tractors and 42,000 trailers, and a network of 295+ terminals, with coverage in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean. And our company is debt-free, financially-stable, and has won several awards for safety, reliability, and exceptional customer service.

    If W.W. could see Estes today, he would certainly be amazed to witness how much his business has grown. But we think he would be even more pleased to know that his company’s growth was driven by the same values of hard work, honesty, and commitment that served as his foundation back in 1931. Though a lot has changed in the shipping industry (and the world) over the last 90+ years, Estes remains committed to delivering responsive freight solutions so our customers can focus on what matters most.

    At Estes, we’re proud to have a team of more than 24,000 fiercely dedicated employees who always go the extra mile to take care of the people we serve. We are committed to delivering responsive freight solutions so our customers can focus on what matters most—and at the heart of that mission are our Estes core values:

    FAMILY-INSPIRED CULTURE – Our people are like family. We support and inspire each other every day. We collaborate and roll up our sleeves to pitch in whenever needed. Estes is a third- and fourth-generation family owned and run enterprise, so our focus is on the long-term.

    STABILITY & EXPERIENCE – We have nine decades of experience characterized by continual growth and development of end-to-end solutions. That experience — along with a conservative fiscal management policy — means that we have the resources, equipment, and technology that will provide customers with continual improvements.

    SAFETY – We are resolute in the quest to keep people safe — both our associates and the public.

    INNOVATION – Our culture embraces flexibility and the development of new ideas and technology for improving the breadth of services we offer every day.

    INTEGRITY & TRUST – Our unwavering commitment to honesty, fairness, and doing the right thing is one of the main reasons we’re still in business after almost nine decades.

    EMPOWERMENT – We equip associates to provide the best service to our customers and celebrate the ability to overcome obstacles.

    COURAGE & DETERMINATION – We are passionate about inspiring smart thinking, a make-it-happen mentality, and a drive to excel in order to create better outcomes.

    Sound like you?

    Visit our Careers site to see if you might be a good fit for our team!

    At Estes, sustainability isn’t just a priority—it’s a promise. And as the largest privately held carrier in North America, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, investing in cleaner technologies, and advancing responsible practices that help protect our planet for future generations.

    Here are just a few ways we've already turned that vision into action:

    • Calculating our annual carbon emissions with Watershed’s enterprise climate platform for footprint calculation
    • Improving our fleet fuel efficiency by 6.5% since 2018 through smarter equipment investments, alternative fuels, and driver efficiency programs
    • Helping launch the first phase of a standardized allocated emissions calculator in collaboration with SMC³ and other LTL carriers
    • Expanding our use of solar power, producing nearly 2 million kWh of clean electricity in 2024—the equivalent of offsetting over 145,000 gallons of gasoline
    • Partnering with Optym to optimize routes and increase linehaul efficiency, resulting in a 2% improvement in efficiency across our network in 2024

    And so much more! To explore all the steps Estes is taking to reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, check out our Sustainability page.

    Or view our 2024 Sustainability Report to learn more about how Estes is focusing on our planet, as well as our broader efforts to uplift people, serve our customers, and live our principles.

    At Estes, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve. That’s why our company and its employees have devoted countless hours and resources over the years to causes such as:

    • Employee-Directed Giving: Each year, Estes’ Open Heart, Open Road employee-directed giving campaign allocates a donation of $500,000 across 13 national charities. Through a company-wide nomination and voting process, we ask our employees to identify the causes they care most about. We then make donations to those that receive the most employee votes, including charities with missions to support children, health, seniors, pets, and veterans. 
    • The Children’s Hospital Foundation: In 2021, the Estes company and the Estes family together donated $2 million to support construction of the Children’s Tower at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The Children’s Tower opened in 2023 and is home to the hospital’s pediatric trauma center, emergency room, inpatient units, operating rooms, imaging center, and family amenities. 
    • Supporting Our Troops: Estes is proud to support our military and will forever be grateful for the sacrifices made by America’s men and women in uniform. Over the years we’ve helped provide outreach to active-duty service members in combat and disaster-relief zones by delivering care packages and supplies. And we continue to support Wreaths Across America every holiday season by delivering fresh evergreen wreaths to the gravesites of fallen veterans.
    • Grassroots Community Involvement: The spirit of giving is strong among Estes employees in their local communities. Many of our terminals choose to celebrate the holidays by participating in the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program, or adopting a family through Angel Tree. Every year, there’s an outpouring of generosity from our employees as they donate toys, clothes and supplies for families that cannot afford gifts. 

    Protecting the public, our customers, and our employees is a top priority at Estes. That’s why safety is a core value that’s embedded in every facet of our operations—both on and off the road. With nearly a century of freight transportation experience, preventing the preventable is yet another way that Estes keeps America’s freight moving safely.

    Safety Awards

    Since 2002, Estes has been recognized every year by the American Trucking Association (ATA) for our ongoing dedication to exceptional safety. In 2024, Estes won six national safety awards when competing in the ATA’s National Truck Safety Contest, which assessed our driver accident rate, and its National Industrial Safety Contest, which looked at employee injury rates:

    Estes Express Lines
    • 2nd Place – Truck Safety Contest - LTL - Line-haul Division (Over 100 million miles)
    • 2nd Place – Truck Safety Contest - LTL - Local Division (Over 100 million miles)
    • 2nd Place – Industrial Safety Contest - LTL Division (Over 5,000 employees)
    Estes West
    • 1st Place – Truck Safety Contest - LTL - Line-haul Division (10-100 million miles)
    • 1st Place – Truck Safety Contest - LTL - Local Division (10-100 million miles)
    • 2nd Place – Industrial Safety Contest - LTL Division (1,001-5,000 employees) 

    Estes’ affiliates provide worldwide shipping, household moving, economical long-haul LTL, and leasing services—all backed by the resources of the nation’s largest private freight carrier.

    EFW offers worldwide shipping with unlimited capacity, flexible delivery, convenient warehousing, and 24-hour tracking. Through its global network of 10,000+ partners and access to Estes’ vast North American shipping resources, EFW delivers efficient, customizable solutions. Visit the website or contact EFW today.

    SureMove provides a reliable, lower-cost option for do-it-yourself household moves. SureMove drops off and moves the trailer. You load and unload within three-day windows—and save a bundle on moving costs. Visit the website to learn more or get a quote today.

    Estes Leasing LLC provides cost-effective, hassle-free alternatives to equipment financing and maintenance. Contact Estes Leasing LLC today at 1-804-230-1767.