Priority1
Priority1 is a non-asset freight broker offering LTL, truckload, expedited, and cross-border freight services through its proprietary Cabo® TMS platform, serving 80,000+ enterprise and mid-market shippers across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLittle Rock, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Priority1 does
Priority1, Inc. is a non-asset freight broker and third-party logistics (3PL) provider headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1995, the company operates a nationwide brokerage footprint across 55+ U.S. offices, with cross-border service into Mexico and Canada. Priority1 brokers less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload, expedited, and intermodal freight, reporting a network of more than 80,000 customers, 47,000+ carriers, and approximately 3.5 million tons shipped annually. The privately held, debt-free company staffs 501–1,000 employees.
The firm's operational backbone is Cabo® (Custom Automated Brokerage Operations), a proprietary transportation management system built in-house over approximately three years and led by CTO Phillip Scholtes. Cabo® is API-native, displacing legacy EDI integrations, and is being extended to beta-test integrations with carrier pricing systems such as Old Dominion's One Rate One Time™. The platform supports both the company's direct enterprise and inside-sales operations and its agent partnership program, which functions as a parallel distribution channel. The recent establishment of a digital self-serve channel under VP Digital Brett Loney introduces a self-serve transactional layer alongside the agent and enterprise motions.
Priority1 generates revenue on brokerage gross margins between shippers and carriers. Its go-to-market is multi-channel: enterprise sales (TeamZK, led by Zach Kyle), an agent partnership program, inside sales, and a digital self-serve channel. Customer end-markets span automotive, energy, manufacturing, food & beverage, paper & packaging, retail, and telecommunications. Leadership is anchored by CEO Dan Berardi and CTO Phillip Scholtes, with recent VP-level additions across digital, enterprise sales, and operations.
Priority1 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Priority1
- Legal name
- Priority-1, Inc.
- Website
- https://priority1inc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Priority1 is a non-asset freight broker offering LTL, truckload, expedited, and cross-border freight services through its proprietary Cabo® TMS platform, serving 80,000+ enterprise and mid-market shippers across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Priority1 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Third-Party Logistics / Freight Brokerage
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking (No Local) (4213), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Truckload (TL) Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brokerage/3PL TMS (Freight Brokerage Operations) (TLAEAAAB), Carrier/Ship-From TMS (Shipper-Facing Execution) (TLAEAAAA), Freight Rating, Tariff & Contract Management (TMS Add-on) (TLAEAAAH)
Keywords
Where Priority1 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Little Rock
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Priority1 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Freight Brokerage Transaction Fees: Priority1 operates as a non-asset based freight broker registered with the FMCSA. The company earns revenue by arranging transportation between shippers and carriers, charging transaction fees based on shipment characteristics (commodity class, weight, dimensions, volume, service type, and transit time). Rate calculation includes discounts from published carrier rates conditional on payment within carrier terms.
- Agent Partnership Commissions: Priority1 recruits freight agents who operate under the Priority1 platform. Agents earn competitive uncapped commissions paid twice monthly. The company retains a portion of transaction revenue. No upfront costs for agents to onboard; dedicated back-office support provided.
- LTL Pricing Solutions: Priority1 offers various LTL pricing products including dimensional, dynamic, lane and weight break pricing. The company has beta tested Old Dominion's One Rate One Time™ technology for address-level rating. Revenue derives from negotiated carrier rates and pricing differentials.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Freight Brokerage Services |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Bi-weekly | Freight Agent Partnership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Priority1 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Priority1 is a non-asset based third-party logistics provider and freight broker that arranges LTL, truckload, expedited, and specialized freight transportation across a network of 47,000+ vetted carriers for shippers in Automotive, Energy, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Retail, and other verticals. The company sells its own proprietary cloud-hosted TMS, Cabo®, providing multi-modal quoting, dispatch, tracking, freight bill auditing, and dispute workflow, and operates an Agent Partnership Program that recruits freight agents to source shipments under the Priority1 brand.
Product overview
Priority1 is a non-asset based third-party logistics (3PL) company offering a comprehensive suite of freight services. The core product is Cabo® TMS, a proprietary transportation management system providing multi-modal quoting, dispatch, tracking, freight bill auditing, and dispute workflow in a cloud-hosted platform. Services include LTL (with Enterprise, Project, and Roadshow sub-services), Truckload (encompassing Drayage, Dry Van, Temperature Control, Flatbed, Mexico, and Canada routes), Expedited shipping, and Freight Management. The company also operates an Agent Partnership Program enabling freight agents to leverage Cabo® TMS and access over 47,000 carrier partnerships for commission-based logistics services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cabo®: Priority1's proprietary transportation management system (TMS) that offers multi-modal quoting, dispatch, tracking, freight bill auditing, and dispute workflow in a cloud-hosted, mobile-friendly platform.
Products and services
- Cabo® TMS Proprietary cloud-hosted transportation management system offering multi-modal quoting, dispatch, real-time tracking, freight bill auditing, dispute workflow, and customizable reporting in a single mobile-friendly dashboard, sold as the technology backbone of Priority1's freight brokerage.
- LTL Services Less-than-truckload freight brokerage services leveraging a diverse carrier portfolio of National, Regional, and Micro-Regional partners who are service leaders in their geographical footprints.
- Truckload Services Full truckload freight brokerage solutions encompassing drayage, flatbed, dry van, step deck, RGN, hazmat, high-value, and temperature-controlled options across the United States and into Mexico and Canada.
- Expedited Services Time-sensitive freight shipping options from sprinter vans to dedicated driver teams, providing the quickest and most efficient way to move cargo for time-critical shipments.
- Freight Management Comprehensive freight management services providing end-to-end logistics coordination and optimization for shippers across multiple transportation modes.
- Agent Partnership Program Partnership program for freight agents and logistics entrepreneurs to source shipments under the Priority1 brand, with access to Cabo® TMS, the 47,000+ carrier network, dedicated back-office support (billing, claims, collections), and uncapped commissions paid twice monthly with no upfront costs and no territory restrictions.
- Drayage Services Container drayage services for port and rail terminal operations, moving containers between ports, rail yards, and final destinations.
- Temperature Control Services Temperature-controlled truckload shipping for perishable and temperature-sensitive cargo such as food & beverage and pharmaceutical-grade freight.
- Enterprise LTL Enterprise-level LTL freight solutions for large-volume shippers requiring dedicated pricing, service arrangements, and project/roadshow-specific logistics planning.
- Mexico Cross-Border Truckload Truckload services for cross-border freight between the United States and Mexico, including cross-border capacity and customs-aware routing.
- Canada Cross-Border Truckload Truckload services for cross-border freight between the United States and Canada, including cross-border capacity and customs-aware routing.
- Priority1 API Full real-time API allowing customers and partners to obtain rates, dispatch and track shipments, and access documents needed for managing freight, with support for geocode metadata, text messaging, PDF manipulation, and currency conversion, designed as a faster and more scalable alternative to EDI.
Quantifiable outcome
- 47,000+ vetted carriers available
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Priority1
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Priority1 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Priority1 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- EPA SmartWay ProgramcorePriority1 participates in the EPA SmartWay program which helps companies improve supply chain sustainability through measurement, benchmarking, and transportation efficiency improvements. The partnership enables Priority1 to offer sustainability-focused logistics solutions and demonstrate environmental commitment.
- National, Regional, and Micro-Regional LTL CarrierscorePriority1 maintains carrier partnerships with National, Regional, and Micro-Regional LTL carriers who are service leaders in their geographic footprints. These partnerships provide the foundation for Priority1's LTL freight brokerage services.
- 47,000+ Full-Truckload CarrierscorePriority1's extensive truckload carrier network includes over 47,000 vetted, high-quality carriers providing drayage, dry van, temperature-controlled, flatbed, step deck, RGN, hazmat, and high-value freight services.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Priority1 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Worldwide Express: PE-backed non-asset freight broker with LTL, truckload, and parcel services. Operates a similar agent partnership model and enterprise sales motion as Priority1.
- RXO: Pure-play North American freight brokerage spun out from XPO Logistics. Closest direct competitor in TL brokerage with similar multi-modal service mix and asset-light carrier-network model.
- Coyote Logistics: Non-asset freight broker owned by UPS, offering truckload, LTL, and intermodal services. Same asset-light brokerage model with digital and agent-driven channels.
- Echo Global Logistics: Non-asset 3PL providing truckload, LTL, intermodal, and managed transportation services. Directly comparable asset-light brokerage model with proprietary technology platform.
- Landstar System: Non-asset freight transportation services provider using independent agents and owner-operators. Closely comparable agent-driven brokerage model to Priority1's freight agent partnership program.
Broad incumbents
- C.H. Robinson Worldwide: Largest US non-asset freight broker with multi-modal TL, LTL, intermodal, and global forwarding. Directly comparable TL brokerage model and enterprise customer base, though at much larger scale and with public-company rigor.
- XPO Logistics: Major North American LTL and transportation services provider. Broad incumbent with overlapping LTL/tl brokerage capabilities and enterprise customer relationships, though LTL is asset-based.
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Large multi-modal carrier with significant brokerage segment (J.B. Hunt 360). Broad incumbent providing TL brokerage at scale alongside asset-based intermodal and dedicated services.
- Hub Group: Asset-light intermodal and logistics provider with brokerage capabilities. Overlapping enterprise customer base and multi-modal service portfolio though with asset-based intermodal focus.
- ArcBest: Asset-based LTL carrier (ABF Freight) with growing asset-light brokerage segment. Overlapping LTL focus and enterprise customer base, with a different asset mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Priority1 social profiles
Digital presencePriority1 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Priority1 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Priority1 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Priority1 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 Priority1
What does Priority1 do?
Priority1 is a non-asset based third-party logistics provider and freight broker that arranges LTL, truckload, expedited, and specialized freight transportation across a network of 47,000+ vetted carriers for shippers in Automotive, Energy, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Retail, and other verticals. The company sells its own proprietary cloud-hosted TMS, Cabo®, providing multi-modal quoting, dispatch, tracking, freight bill auditing, and dispute workflow, and operates an Agent Partnership Program that recruits freight agents to source shipments under the Priority1 brand.
Is Priority1 a public or private company?
Priority1 is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Priority1 founded?
Priority1 was founded in 1995. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Priority1 based?
Priority1 is headquartered in Little Rock, United States, in the North America region.
How does Priority1 make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Freight Brokerage Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are agent Partnership Commissions and LTL Pricing Solutions.
Who are Priority1's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Worldwide Express, RXO, Coyote Logistics, Echo Global Logistics and Landstar System. Broad incumbents are C.H. Robinson Worldwide, XPO Logistics, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Hub Group and ArcBest.
Does Priority1 have an API?
Yes. Priority1 offers a full API designed to be easy to use and simple to test, allowing customers and partners to obtain rates, dispatch and track shipments, and access documents needed for managing their business. The API enables real-time responses for pickup/dispatch confirmations, tracking updates, and shipment information requests. The API is positioned as superior to EDI for faster, real-time data transmission with greater data capacity and scalability.
What industry is Priority1 in?
Priority1's product category is Third-Party Logistics / Freight Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAMAB, Truckload (TL) Freight Brokerage, with a secondary code of TLAEAAAB, Brokerage/3PL TMS (Freight Brokerage Operations). Its NAICS code is 48851 and its SIC code is 4731.