Dayton Freight Lines
Dayton Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier serving Midwest business-to-business shippers with LTL, truckload, expedited, guaranteed, and special-handling services via a service-center network and web self-service platform, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersDayton, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dayton Freight Lines does
Dayton Freight Lines, Inc. is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The company operates a network of service centers across the Midwest, providing LTL, full truckload (DFT), expedited (DFX), guaranteed delivery, and special-handling services — including hazmat and liftgate — to business-to-business shippers. Revenue is generated primarily through transactional freight charges based on weight, dimensions, distance, and a fuel surcharge, supplemented by volume and spot quotes; no subscription or recurring pricing is publicly disclosed.
The company runs a customer-facing self-service platform at tools.daytonfreight.com that supports shipment tracking, rate estimation, pickup scheduling, bill of lading creation, shipping labels, imaging, and reporting. An IT Integration offering exposes EDI and API connectivity for electronic document exchange with shipper systems. Distribution is direct via the service-center network plus the web portal, and account-based relationship selling is supplemented by 800-number customer support. No APIs, SDKs, mobile applications, or AI/ML capabilities are documented in the source material.
Dayton Freight is independently owned with no venture capital or private-equity backing identified, no parent company, and no disclosed M&A activity. It markets under the 'Dayton Difference' cultural banner and in 2026 received carrier awards from three third-party logistics providers (GEODIS, Logistics Plus, and Echo Global Logistics). Headcount is reported in the 1,001–5,000 range; revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Dayton Freight Lines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dayton Freight Lines
- Legal name
- Dayton Freight Lines, Inc.
- Website
- https://daytonfreight.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Dayton Freight Lines is a privately held regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier serving Midwest business-to-business shippers with LTL, truckload, expedited, guaranteed, and special-handling services via a service-center network and web self-service platform, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dayton Freight Lines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Regional Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Transportation
- NAICS
- General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121)
- SIC
- Trucking (No Local) (4213)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers (TLADAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Expedited LTL (Guaranteed/Time-Definite LTL) (TLADANAC)
Keywords
Where Dayton Freight Lines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dayton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dayton Freight Lines 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 Transportation: Dayton Freight generates revenue through less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation services, charging shippers based on freight weight, dimensions, and transit requirements. Additional revenue streams include truckload services (DFT), expedited services (DFX), and guaranteed delivery options. Pricing is determined via rate estimates and volume/spot quotes, with a fuel surcharge applied.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard LTL freight rates determined by weight, dimensions, and distance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Dayton Freight Lines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dayton Freight Lines provides regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation across the Midwestern United States, supplemented by full truckload (DFT), expedited (DFX), guaranteed delivery, and specialized handling services. Customers access the carrier through a network of service centers and a self-service web shipping platform covering tracking, rate estimation, pickup requests, bill-of-lading creation, and reporting.
Product overview
Dayton Freight Lines operates as a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carrier offering a multi-service shipping platform. The core offering is LTL freight transportation, supplemented by DFT Truckload for full truckload shipments and DFXpedited Service for time-sensitive deliveries. Additional service modules include Guaranteed Service, Special Services (including hazmat handling), Strategic Partners, IT Integration capabilities, and a network of Service Centers. The company provides digital tools for tracking, rate estimation, pickup requests, and bill of lading through their tools.daytonfreight.com platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DFX: DFX Expedited Service - expedited freight delivery service
- DFT
Products and services
- LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Freight Shipping Core less-than-truckload freight transportation service for B2B shippers moving palletized or boxed cargo regionally, supported by tracking, rate estimation, pickup scheduling, and bill-of-lading tools.
- Truckload (DFT) Full truckload shipping service (branded as DFT Truckload) for larger shipments requiring dedicated truck capacity.
- DFXpedited Service Expedited shipping service for time-sensitive freight requiring faster delivery than standard LTL or truckload transit times.
- Guaranteed Service Service option that contractually guarantees delivery by a specified time or date for qualifying shipments.
- Special Services Specialized freight handling services including hazmat shipping, liftgate service, and other unique-handling requirements.
Companies that use Dayton Freight Lines
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dayton Freight Lines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dayton Freight Lines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Strategic PartnerscoreDayton Freight maintains a page for Strategic Partners on its website, indicating the company works with strategic partners to extend its service capabilities. Specific partner names are not listed in the available source content.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dayton Freight Lines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ArcBest (ABF Freight): ArcBest operates ABF Freight, a national LTL carrier, alongside asset-light logistics. It is directly comparable to Dayton Freight on LTL core service and asset-based terminal operations serving B2B shippers.
- Estes Express Lines: Estes is a privately held LTL carrier with a regional-to-national footprint, directly comparable on LTL core service, terminal operations, and asset-based freight model serving B2B shippers.
- XPO Inc. XPO operates a major U.S. LTL network and is directly comparable to Dayton Freight on LTL core service, terminal-based operations, and expedited freight offerings targeting B2B shippers.
- AAA Cooper Transportation: AAA Cooper is a privately held regional LTL carrier in the Southeast with truckload and logistics services, directly comparable to Dayton Freight on LTL core offering and complementary truckload/expedited services.
- Pitt Ohio: Pitt Ohio is a privately held regional LTL and truckload carrier headquartered in the Midwest, directly comparable to Dayton Freight on regional LTL focus, Midwest service area, and asset-based B2B shipping model.
- Southeastern Freight Lines: Southeastern Freight Lines is a privately held regional LTL carrier focused on the Southeast, directly comparable to Dayton Freight as a regional, terminal-based LTL operator serving B2B shippers.
- R+L Carriers: R+L Carriers is a privately held national LTL, truckload, and logistics provider. It is comparable as a multi-service asset-based carrier overlapping Dayton Freight on LTL, truckload, expedited, and global freight services.
- Old Dominion Freight Line: Old Dominion is the largest U.S. LTL carrier with a national network and premium on-time service positioning. It is a direct comparable for Dayton Freight on LTL core offering, terminal-based operations, and B2B shipper customer base.
- Saia Inc. Saia is a publicly traded LTL carrier with a regional/national network, directly comparable to Dayton Freight on LTL core service, terminal density model, and B2B shipping customer base.
Broad incumbents
- FedEx Freight: FedEx Freight is the LTL subsidiary of FedEx Corporation and the largest U.S. LTL carrier by revenue. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping LTL, expedited, and freight services targeting the same B2B shipper segment as Dayton Freight, though at national scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Dayton Freight Lines social profiles
Digital presenceDayton Freight Lines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dayton Freight Lines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dayton Freight Lines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dayton 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 Dayton Freight Lines
What does Dayton Freight Lines do?
Dayton Freight Lines provides regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation across the Midwestern United States, supplemented by full truckload (DFT), expedited (DFX), guaranteed delivery, and specialized handling services. Customers access the carrier through a network of service centers and a self-service web shipping platform covering tracking, rate estimation, pickup requests, bill-of-lading creation, and reporting.
Is Dayton Freight Lines a public or private company?
Dayton Freight Lines is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Dayton Freight Lines founded?
Dayton Freight Lines was founded in 1981. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Dayton Freight Lines based?
Dayton Freight Lines is headquartered in Dayton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dayton Freight Lines make money?
One revenue line is on record: LTL Freight Transportation.
Who are Dayton Freight Lines's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ArcBest (ABF Freight), Estes Express Lines, XPO Inc., AAA Cooper Transportation, Pitt Ohio, Southeastern Freight Lines, R+L Carriers, Old Dominion Freight Line and Saia Inc.. FedEx Freight is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Dayton Freight Lines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dayton Freight Lines.
What industry is Dayton Freight Lines in?
Dayton Freight Lines's product category is Regional Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAEAA, National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers, with a secondary code of TLADANAC, Expedited LTL (Guaranteed/Time-Definite LTL). Its NAICS code is 484121 and its SIC code is 4213.