R+L Carriers
R+L Carriers is a privately held, family-owned LTL freight carrier founded in 1964, operating an owned service center network across all 50 U.S. states with cross-border coverage into Canada and Mexico. It serves general commodities, truckload, global logistics, specialized handling, and e-commerce shippers through LTL, truckload, and affiliated R+L Global Logistics services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersWilmington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What R+L Carriers does
R+L Carriers is a privately held, family-owned freight transportation company founded in 1964 and headquartered in Wilmington, Ohio. The company's core business is less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping, delivered through an owned and operated service center network that covers all 50 U.S. states plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and provides cross-border LTL and truckload service to Canada and Mexico. The product portfolio spans LTL, full truckload brokerage (dry van, flatbed, temperature-controlled, high-value/high-risk, intermodal, expedited), Business Critical time-definite services, value-added offerings (hazmat, freeze protection, liftgate, final mile, white glove, custom crating, Load & Protect bulkhead), and global logistics through the affiliated R+L Global Logistics brand, which adds air freight, ocean FCL, customs brokerage, warehousing, supply chain management, reverse logistics, and trade show logistics.
The underlying technology platform is centered on the MyRLC customer portal and a comprehensive API suite (rate quotes, BOL, pickup, tracing, transit times, document retrieval, notifications, claim status), complemented by EDI integration, in-cab scanning for real-time documentation, and participation in project44's Preferred Carrier Program with a Logixboard-powered Global Vision visibility layer. Performance metrics — 99.6% exception-free delivery, 98% on-time service, 85% nationwide liftgate coverage, and a sub-1% claims ratio with 30-day settlement — are publicly marketed as differentiators, alongside the company's operating ratio in the 80s.
R+L generates revenue through transactional freight pricing with blanket discounts published to all customers, supplemented by sales-led engagement via inside sales representatives for account setup and managed-services revenue from warehousing and supply chain engagements. The customer base spans general commodities shippers, truckload shippers, global/international shippers, specialized handling shippers, and e-commerce/retail shippers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and global trade lanes. The wholly-owned subsidiary structure — including AFC Worldwide Express (dba R+L Global Logistics), R+L Truckload Service, Greenwood Motor Lines, ABCO Transportation, AFC International, and Paramount Transportation — supports the integrated service offering without external capital backing from venture or private equity investors.
R+L Carriers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- R+L Carriers
- Legal name
- R&L Carriers, Inc.
- Website
- https://rlcarriers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- R+L Carriers is a privately held, family-owned LTL freight carrier founded in 1964, operating an owned service center network across all 50 U.S. states with cross-border coverage into Canada and Mexico. It serves general commodities, truckload, global logistics, specialized handling, and e-commerce shippers through LTL, truckload, and affiliated R+L Global Logistics services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
R+L Carriers industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (48423), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)
- SIC
- Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers (TLADAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pool Distribution / Multi-Stop LTL Carriers (TLADAEAF), Specialized Equipment Transport (Flatbed, Step-Deck, Lowboy, Car Carrier) (TLAIAMAH), Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)
Keywords
Where R+L Carriers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wilmington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
R+L Carriers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- LTL Freight Shipping: Core revenue from less-than-truckload freight shipping services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. R+L Carriers provides coast-to-coast LTL delivery with various service levels including standard, guaranteed, and expedited options.
- Truckload Services: Full truckload (FTL) freight brokerage and transportation services including dry van, flatbed, temperature-controlled, expedited, and high-value/high-risk cargo handling for shipments of 22,000+ pounds or full trailer capacity.
- Global/International Logistics: International shipping solutions including air freight, ocean shipping (FCL), customs brokerage, import/export services, and air charters through R+L Global Logistics affiliate.
- Value-Added Services: Additional services including liftgate delivery, hazmat shipping, freeze protection, custom crating, final mile delivery, white glove service, and trade show logistics.
- Warehousing and Fulfillment: Short and long-term warehousing solutions, e-commerce fulfillment, order management, and supply chain management services through R+L Global Logistics network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Competitive market pricing with blanket discounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
R+L Carriers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
R+L Carriers is a privately held freight transportation company that provides Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipping services across the United States and to international destinations. Founded in 1964/1965 and headquartered near Wilmington, Ohio, the company operates an owned network of terminals and equipment and offers complementary services including truckload shipping, expedited delivery, warehousing and fulfillment, and global freight forwarding through its R+L Global Logistics division.
Product overview
R+L Carriers is a freight shipping and logistics company offering a comprehensive transportation platform centered on Less-than-Truckload (LTL) services as its core product, complemented by truckload brokerage, and global logistics capabilities through its R+L Global Logistics subsidiary. The product portfolio includes: (1) LTL Services as the flagship offering with coast-to-coast U.S. coverage plus Canada and Mexico transborder service; (2) Business Critical add-on services for guaranteed and expedited delivery with time-definite windows; (3) Truckload Services including dry van, flatbed, temperature-controlled, intermodal, and Mexico transborder capabilities; (4) Value-added services such as hazmat shipping, freeze protection, liftgate, final mile delivery, custom crating, and in-cab scanning; (5) Technology platforms including MyRLC customer portal, EDI, and API tools for B2B integration; (6) R+L Global Logistics providing air freight, ocean shipping, customs brokerage, warehousing with warehouse management systems, supply chain management, reverse logistics, and trade show logistics. The company serves customers through digital tools including rate quoting, shipment tracing, transit time calculation, and document management, with documented performance metrics of 99.6% exception-free delivery and 98% on-time service performance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.6% exception-free delivery rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use R+L Carriers
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
R+L Carriers technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
R+L Carriers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- R+L Global Logistics (Affiliate)coreR+L Global Logistics is an affiliated company under the R+L Carriers corporate umbrella, providing international shipping services including air freight, ocean shipping (FCL), customs brokerage, and global logistics solutions. The affiliation enables comprehensive end-to-end logistics services from domestic LTL to global transportation.
- R+L TruckloadcoreR+L Truckload is an affiliated company providing full truckload (FTL) freight services including dry van, flatbed, temperature-controlled, and specialized transportation. Part of the integrated R+L service offering for shipments exceeding LTL capacity.
- ABCO TransportationminorListed as an affiliated company in the R+L Global Logistics network. ABCO Transportation operates as a separate carrier entity within the corporate family.
- AFC InternationalminorListed as an affiliated company under R+L Carriers legal entity (Greenwood Motor Lines, Inc. dba AFC Worldwide Express, Inc., dba R+L Global Logistics). Provides international freight forwarding and customs services.
- Paramount Transportation Logistics Services / Paramount Freight SystemsminorListed as an affiliated company in the R+L Global Logistics network of affiliated carriers and logistics providers.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
R+L Carriers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hub Group: Public intermodal and logistics provider with brokerage and dedicated services. Comparable to R+L's intermodal product line and truckload brokerage business, with overlap on large enterprise shippers.
- RXO (XPO spinoff): Public asset-light freight brokerage and last-mile provider with managed transportation services. Comparable to R+L's truckload brokerage and supply chain management offerings rather than the asset-based LTL core.
- Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest U.S. truckload carrier that has been expanding into LTL via the U.S. Xpress and AAA Cooper deals. Broad incumbent competing with R+L on truckload brokerage and increasingly on LTL lanes.
- FedEx Freight: The largest LTL carrier in North America and a unit of FedEx. Competes with R+L on national LTL and freight-adjacent services but operates at materially larger scale and as part of a broader FedEx portfolio.
Direct peers
- Estes Express Lines: Privately held, family-owned national LTL carrier and the closest structural analog to R+L: private, family-controlled, asset-based LTL with regional density and a broad value-added service portfolio.
- Old Dominion Freight Line: The largest U.S. LTL carrier by revenue and the public-market benchmark for LTL operational excellence (consistently sub-70s OR). Directly comparable to R+L on LTL service, terminal network, and shipper customer base, and represents the upper bound on what an asset-based LTL operator can achieve.
- Saia Inc. Public LTL carrier with a comparable multi-regional service-center model and similar customer segments (general commodities, retail, manufacturing). Closely comparable to R+L on service mix, geographic reach, and growth profile.
- Southeastern Freight Lines: Privately held regional LTL carrier with strong Southeastern U.S. density and expanding national footprint. Direct competitor for LTL volume and comparable on owned-network, asset-heavy operating model.
- ArcBest (ABF Freight): Public LTL operator (ABF Freight) plus asset-light logistics. Highly comparable to R+L's combined LTL plus truckload brokerage plus global logistics profile and serves the same broad shipper base.
- TForce Freight (TFI International): LTL business of TFI International, formed from the former UPS Freight. Direct LTL competitor with national coverage, similar service-center model, and a comparable diversified logistics platform via its parent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
R+L Carriers social profiles
Digital presenceR+L Carriers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
R+L Carriers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
R+L Carriers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
R+L Carriers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
R+L Carriers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about R+L Carriers
What does R+L Carriers do?
R+L Carriers is a privately held freight transportation company that provides Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipping services across the United States and to international destinations. Founded in 1964/1965 and headquartered near Wilmington, Ohio, the company operates an owned network of terminals and equipment and offers complementary services including truckload shipping, expedited delivery, warehousing and fulfillment, and global freight forwarding through its R+L Global Logistics division.
Is R+L Carriers a public or private company?
R+L Carriers is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was R+L Carriers founded?
R+L Carriers was founded in 1964. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is R+L Carriers based?
R+L Carriers is headquartered in Wilmington, United States, in the North America region.
How does R+L Carriers make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. LTL Freight Shipping is the primary driver. The others are truckload Services, global/International Logistics, value-Added Services and warehousing and Fulfillment.
Who are R+L Carriers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hub Group, RXO (XPO spinoff), Knight-Swift Transportation and FedEx Freight. Direct peers are Estes Express Lines, Old Dominion Freight Line, Saia Inc., Southeastern Freight Lines, ArcBest (ABF Freight) and TForce Freight (TFI International).
Does R+L Carriers have an API?
Yes. R+L Carriers offers a comprehensive suite of API tools for B2B integration, enabling external websites and systems to connect with R+L's shipping platform. Available API endpoints include: Pickup Request API (arrange freight pickup), Bill of Lading API (prepare freight documentation), Rate Quote API (obtain shipping rates), Shipment Tracing API (track shipments), Transit Times API (calculate delivery windows), Document Retrieval API (access shipping documents), Service Center Info API (find service center locations), Notification API (manage shipment notifications), Claim Status API (check cargo claims), and Activity History API (view account shipping history). The API is accessible through the MyRLC B2B Tools platform and supports seamless integration for customers and partners. Developer documentation is at www.rlcarriers.com/freight/shipping-software/api.
What industry is R+L Carriers in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAEAA, National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers, with a secondary code of TLADAEAF, Pool Distribution / Multi-Stop LTL Carriers. Its NAICS code is 48412 and its SIC code is 4210.