🔍 Special Report | Freight Trends, Labor Challenges & Fleet Realities

Based on “A Look at Trucking’s Top 100 For-Hire Carriers,” Transport Topics, July 2025

🧭 The Landscape: Big Fleets, Bigger Challenges

Transport Topics’ latest Top 100 For-Hire Carriers list isn’t just a scoreboard—it’s a stress test.

Freight volumes remain soft, costs are up, and capital is frozen. Even the largest carriers are pausing fleet expansions, tightening tech stacks, and trimming operations. Post-pandemic freight booms are officially behind us, and 2025 is demanding smarter—not bigger—moves.

🏆 Who’s Still Winning

J.B. Hunt claims the top spot once again, thanks to its diverse business model, strong intermodal backbone, and sticky contract freight. FedEx and UPS hold steady in 2nd and 3rd despite parcel volume dips.

Specialized carriers—especially final-mile and white-glove delivery services—are rising fast. M&A activity is heating up in these niches as larger players look to expand services without building from scratch.

📊 A Volume Problem, Not a Capacity Problem

This isn’t a supply chain issue—it’s a freight demand issue.