Southeastern Freight Lines
Southeastern Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier operating 123+ service centers across 13 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico since 1949. It serves enterprise and mid-market shippers with regional LTL service, cross-border Mexico partnerships, and API-enabled digital tools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersLexington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Southeastern Freight Lines does
Southeastern Freight Lines (SEFL) is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier founded in 1949 and headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina. The company operates 123+ directly owned service centers across 13 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico, employing 5,001–10,000 people, and reports a 99.4% on-time delivery rate in next-day lanes. SEFL extends its footprint nationally through carrier partnerships with A. Duie Pyle, Dayton Freight, Cross Country Freight, Oak Harbor Freight Lines, Lynden Transport, and Honolulu Freight Service, and internationally to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii through partner networks.
The company's technology stack centers on a digital platform comprising the MySEFL secure customer portal (rate quotes, bill of lading creation, pickup requests, claims filing, customized reporting), the Web Connect suite of REST APIs (Tracing, Rate Quotes, BOL, Pickup, Claims, Routing Guide, Push Notifications) for system-to-system integration, EDI capabilities for enterprise shippers, and a mobile web application. SEFL partners with Samsara and Fontaine Modification to pre-install AI-enabled dash cams and vehicle gateways on new fleet vehicles. Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based LTL freight transportation billed monthly, supplemented by guaranteed service options (Excelerated), Full Value Insurance, Final Mile delivery, Special Services (carpet, Responsible Care chemical certification, assembly/distribution), and third-party logistics through its Southeastern Logistics Solutions (SLS) subsidiary.
SEFL's go-to-market combines direct regional sales through its service center network with self-service digital channels (MySEFL portal, APIs, EDI) for mid-market and enterprise shippers. The company pursues a horizontal segmentation strategy targeting LTL shippers broadly, with particular emphasis on automotive and industrial manufacturers leveraging nearshoring trends. Channel partnerships with Mexican carriers (Fletes México Carga Express, XCF Transporte de Carga Consolidada, Condesa Freight International) represent an offensive expansion move targeting U.S.-Mexico trade volumes, supported by dedicated cross-border operations teams in Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Customer concentration is moderate, with Home Depot Pro as a named enterprise customer; pricing is quote-based with a U.S. National Average Diesel Fuel Index-linked surcharge applied since 1999.
Southeastern Freight Lines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Southeastern Freight Lines
- Legal name
- Southeastern Freight Lines, Inc.
- Website
- https://sefl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Southeastern Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier operating 123+ service centers across 13 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico since 1949. It serves enterprise and mid-market shippers with regional LTL service, cross-border Mexico partnerships, and API-enabled digital tools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Southeastern Freight Lines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Transportation
- NAICS
- General Freight Trucking (4841), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)
- SIC
- Trucking (No Local) (4213), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional Next-Day LTL Carriers (TLADAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers (TLADAEAA), Cross-Border LTL (US-MX/US-CA) (TLADAEAI), LTL High-Value / Secure Freight Carriers (TLADAEAL)
Keywords
Where Southeastern Freight Lines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lexington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Southeastern Freight Lines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Regional LTL Freight Services: Core less-than-truckload freight transportation services within the regional network spanning 13 U.S. states with service centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
- International Services: Cross-border LTL freight services to/from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii through carrier partnerships.
- Special Services: Specialized services including carpet, assembly/distribution, pallet decks, responsible care (chemical industry certification), and truckload operations.
- Guaranteed Service (Excelerated): Time-definite guaranteed service options for shipments requiring guaranteed delivery times.
- Full Value Insurance: Cargo insurance coverage providing full value protection for shipments, with calculator and billing options available.
- Logistics Solutions: Additional logistics services under Southeastern Logistics Solutions (SLS) for integrated supply chain management.
- Final Mile Services: Final mile delivery services for last-leg shipment completion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | LTL Freight Transportation - quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Southeastern Freight Lines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Southeastern Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier that transports goods via its own service-center network across 13 southeastern and south-central U.S. states plus Puerto Rico, and extends coverage nationally and internationally through carrier partnerships. Core revenue comes from regional LTL hauling, augmented by guaranteed time-definite service, final-mile delivery, special commodity handling, third-party logistics, full-value cargo insurance, and cross-border services to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Product overview
Southeastern Freight Lines (SEFL) operates as a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier offering a unified service portfolio centered on its Regional LTL Service. The company provides technology platforms including the MySEFL Secure Website (customer portal for rate quotes, Bill of Lading creation, and reporting), Web Connect Web Services/Internet API (programmatic access to shipment data), SEFL Mobile App (mobile web access), and EDI capabilities for enterprise integration. Service enhancements include Excelerated Guaranteed Service for time-critical shipments, Full Value Insurance for cargo protection, Final Mile delivery, Special Services (carpet, assembly/distribution, chemical industry certification), and Southeastern Logistics Solutions for third-party logistics. The National Partnership Network extends coverage nationally through partnerships with A. Duie Pyle, Dayton Freight, Honolulu Freight Service, Lynden Transport, Cross Country Freight, and Oak Harbor Freight Lines. The company also provides comprehensive shipping tools including online Claims Filing, Tracing/Tracking, Routing Guide, and Rate Quotes. International services cover Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MySEFL: Secure online customer portal for shipping tools including rate quotes, bill of lading creation, pickup requests, and shipment tracking.
- SEFL Mobile App
Products and services
- Regional LTL Service Core less-than-truckload freight transportation across the southeastern and south-central U.S. with a reported 99.4% on-time delivery rate in next-day lanes. Serves businesses shipping partial-truckload freight regionally.
- Excelerated Guaranteed Service Time-definite guaranteed LTL delivery service for shipments requiring expedited, assured delivery times. Aimed at shippers where on-time performance is critical.
- Full Value Insurance Cargo insurance coverage providing full-value protection for LTL shipments, with an online calculator and Bill of Lading form for quoting and applying coverage.
- Southeastern Logistics Solutions (SLS) Third-party logistics (3PL) and integrated supply chain management services offered under the Southeastern Logistics Solutions brand, beyond core LTL transportation.
- Final Mile Last-mile delivery service extending standard terminal-to-terminal LTL service to shippers' final destinations such as homes or businesses.
- Special Services Specialized LTL handling services including carpet shipping, assembly and distribution, pallet decks, Responsible Care (chemical industry certification), and truckload operations for shipments with specialized handling needs.
- National Partnership Network Extended U.S. LTL coverage beyond SEFL's direct 13-state service area through partnerships with A. Duie Pyle, Dayton Freight, Honolulu Freight Service, Lynden Transport, Cross Country Freight, and Oak Harbor Freight Lines, integrated with seamless tracking.
- International Services (Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Alaska, Hawaii) Cross-border LTL services to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii, supported by dedicated cross-border carrier partnerships, customs clearance support, and documentation services.
- Web Connect Web Services/Internet API Developer-facing suite of REST/Web Service APIs (Tracing/Tracking, Pickup, Claims, Document Retrieval, Routing Guide, Rate Quotes, Get Pro, Bill of Lading, Tracing Push Notifications) with Basic HTTP Authorization enabling customer systems to programmatically pull shipment data from SEFL.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.4% on-time delivery in next-day lanes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Southeastern Freight Lines
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Southeastern Freight Lines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Southeastern Freight Lines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- XCF Transporte de Carga ConsolidadacoreCross-border partnership for U.S.-Mexico freight services, providing seamless LTL coverage across the border as part of SEFL's expanding international network.
- Condesa Freight InternationalcoreCross-border partnership for U.S.-Mexico freight services, providing international LTL capabilities as part of SEFL's partnership network.
- Fletes México Carga ExpresscoreStrategic cross-border partnership to expand less-than-truckload (LTL) service between the United States and Mexico. Provides end-to-end visibility, single PRO number tracking, real-time rate quoting via API connectivity, and dedicated teams at Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas to streamline customs clearance. This is SEFL's third cross-border partnership following arrangements with XCF Transporte de Carga Consolidada and Condesa Freight International.
- A. Duie PylecoreNational carrier partnership providing extended LTL coverage through connected network with seamless tracking capabilities from pickup through delivery.
- Dayton FreightcoreNational carrier partnership providing extended LTL coverage through network partnership with seamless tracking and service capabilities.
- Honolulu Freight ServiceminorRegional partnership providing LTL service to Hawaii, integrated through network partnerships for seamless service.
- Lynden TransportminorNational partnership providing LTL and specialized freight services to Alaska, connected via computer access with seamless tracking capabilities.
- Cross Country FreightminorNational carrier partnership providing extended LTL coverage through partnership network with integrated tracking.
- Oak Harbor Freight LinesminorNational carrier partnership providing extended LTL coverage through partnership network with integrated tracking.
- SamsaracoreFleet management technology partnership using Samsara's Pre-Delivery Installation program with Fontaine Modification. New fleet vehicles are pre-equipped with Samsara Vehicle Gateways and AI Dash Cams, eliminating the need for technician installation and enabling faster vehicle deployment.
- Fontaine ModificationcorePre-delivery vehicle modification partner enabling installation of Samsara fleet management hardware (Vehicle Gateways and AI Dash Cams) during vehicle preparation, before vehicles reach SEFL service.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Southeastern Freight Lines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PITT OHIO: Privately held regional LTL carrier serving the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast. Comparable business model, customer base, and operational focus to SEFL.
- Estes Express Lines: Privately held LTL carrier with similar regional-network service model and direct terminal footprint in the Eastern and Southeastern US. A direct peer in scale, ownership structure, and customer segments.
- R+L Carriers: Privately held LTL carrier with broad US footprint and similar cross-border and international service capabilities. Competes with SEFL for regional and national LTL volumes.
- Dayton Freight Lines: Regional LTL carrier serving the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic with a similar privately held operating model. A direct peer and one of SEFL's national coverage partners, indicating product and market alignment.
- AAA Cooper Transportation: Regional LTL carrier with overlapping Southeast US service geography and similar direct-service, multi-state network model. Closest direct comparable in scale, footprint, and product offering to SEFL.
Broad incumbents
- TForce Freight (TFI International): LTL subsidiary of TFI International, one of the largest LTL networks in North America. Competes with SEFL across multiple lanes and offers similar next-day and interregional services.
- ArcBest (ABF Freight): Asset-based LTL carrier (ABF Freight) within ArcBest's integrated logistics platform. Directly comparable LTL line-haul service across the Southeast with broader multimodal exposure.
- Old Dominion Freight Line: Largest less-than-truckload carrier in the United States with national service center network. A broad incumbent LTL competitor that overlaps with SEFL in the Southeast but operates at materially greater scale.
- Saia Inc. National LTL carrier with comparable next-day service orientation and technology platform investments. A broader incumbent peer competing for similar regional and national LTL volume.
- XPO Inc. Major North American LTL carrier operating a dense network of terminals. Competes with SEFL on national LTL freight, particularly for inter-regional and longer-haul shipments that touch the Southeast.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Southeastern Freight Lines social profiles
Digital presenceSoutheastern Freight Lines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Southeastern Freight Lines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Southeastern Freight Lines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Southeastern Freight Lines 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 Southeastern Freight Lines
What does Southeastern Freight Lines do?
Southeastern Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier that transports goods via its own service-center network across 13 southeastern and south-central U.S. states plus Puerto Rico, and extends coverage nationally and internationally through carrier partnerships. Core revenue comes from regional LTL hauling, augmented by guaranteed time-definite service, final-mile delivery, special commodity handling, third-party logistics, full-value cargo insurance, and cross-border services to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Is Southeastern Freight Lines a public or private company?
Southeastern Freight Lines is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Southeastern Freight Lines founded?
Southeastern Freight Lines was founded in 1949. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Southeastern Freight Lines based?
Southeastern Freight Lines is headquartered in Lexington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Southeastern Freight Lines make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Regional LTL Freight Services are the primary driver. The others are international Services, special Services, guaranteed Service (Excelerated), full Value Insurance, logistics Solutions and final Mile Services.
Who are Southeastern Freight Lines's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PITT OHIO, Estes Express Lines, R+L Carriers, Dayton Freight Lines and AAA Cooper Transportation. Broad incumbents are TForce Freight (TFI International), ArcBest (ABF Freight), Old Dominion Freight Line, Saia Inc. and XPO Inc..
Does Southeastern Freight Lines have an API?
Yes. Southeastern Freight Lines provides multiple REST and Web Service APIs enabling customers to pull shipment information directly from their web site into their company's web page or information system. Available APIs include: Tracing/Tracking API (supports Pro Number, Interline Pro Number, Bill of Lading Number, and Purchase Order Number tracking with JSON and XML output formats), Pickup Web Service (REST architecture for submitting pickup requests via JSON), Claims Status Inquiry API (for checking claim status by pro number or claim number), Document Retrieval REST Service (JSON-based for retrieving Bill of Lading, Delivery receipts, and other shipping documents), Routing Guide API (transit time and service center information), Rate Quotes RESTful API (submit, retrieve, and list rate quotes), Get Pro API (retrieves next available pro numbers with daily limit of 200 pros per MySEFL login), Bill of Lading API (REST Web Service for integrating paper Bill of Lading data), and Tracing Push Notifications Service (REST Web Service for real-time shipment status updates). Authentication uses Basic HTTP Authorization via Authorization HTTP header. WADL files available for Get Pro API and Rate Quotes API. Developer documentation is at www.sefl.com/seflWebsite/webconnect.jsp.
What industry is Southeastern Freight Lines in?
Southeastern Freight Lines's product category is Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAEAB, Regional Next-Day LTL Carriers, with a secondary code of TLADAEAA, National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers. Its NAICS code is 4841 and its SIC code is 4213.