Backhaul Direct
Backhaul Direct is a privately held Indianapolis-based 3PL founded in 2004 that provides multimodal freight services — OTR, ocean, air, LTL, parcel, warehousing, and managed transportation — to enterprise and mid-market shippers and motor carriers via its proprietary Grapevine TMS platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Backhaul Direct does
Backhaul Direct is a privately held third-party logistics (3PL) provider founded in 2004 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company operates a hybrid model combining asset-light freight brokerage with owned carrier capacity acquired through its 2022 purchases of Bakers Express and DNK Express. It serves two primary customer segments: shippers requiring multimodal freight solutions and motor carriers seeking reliable loads and faster payment.
The company's service portfolio spans over-the-road (OTR) highway, ocean, air, less-than-truckload (LTL), parcel, managed transportation, and warehousing and inventory management. All operations are coordinated through Grapevine TMS, a proprietary cloud-based transportation management system offering API and EDI integration, ELD connectivity, digital booking, and real-time end-to-end tracking. A scaled-down variant, Grapevine Lite, addresses smaller shippers. Visibility is extended through a partnership with FourKites, and carrier-side payment and invoice workflows are accelerated through integrations with TriumphPay and Hubtran.
Backhaul Direct employs 101–250 people and runs a sales-led go-to-market targeting enterprise and mid-market shippers through dedicated direct sales plus website self-service quote intake. Pricing is quote-based and contract-driven, with multi-year agreements. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on freight management and coordination. The company holds EPA SmartWay certification and has established partnerships with FourKites (visibility), TriumphPay (payments), and Hubtran (invoicing), while supporting a broad set of community and philanthropic initiatives in Indiana.
Backhaul Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Backhaul Direct
- Legal name
- Backhaul Direct
- Website
- https://backhauldirect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Backhaul Direct is a privately held Indianapolis-based 3PL founded in 2004 that provides multimodal freight services — OTR, ocean, air, LTL, parcel, warehousing, and managed transportation — to enterprise and mid-market shippers and motor carriers via its proprietary Grapevine TMS platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Backhaul Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (48423)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking (No Local) (4213), Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dedicated / Contract Carriage Brokerage (Shippers’ Managed Capacity) (TLACACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) / Groupage Forwarding (TLACACAB), Domestic Distribution & Regional Linehaul Forwarding (TLACACAD)
Keywords
Where Backhaul Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Backhaul Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 3PL Freight Services: Third-party logistics services managing freight transportation for shippers, including OTR highway solutions, ocean and air freight, LTL and parcel services, managed transportation, and warehousing. Revenue generated through service fees on freight management and transportation coordination.
- Carrier Payment Processing: Facilitation of payment services to carriers through partnerships with TriumphPay and Hubtran, providing faster payment options and invoice management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Backhaul Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Backhaul Direct is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that manages freight transportation for shippers across multiple modes—OTR highway, ocean and air, LTL, and parcel—plus managed transportation and warehousing/inventory management. The company also operates a proprietary Transportation Management System (Grapevine TMS, with a Grapevine Lite variant) that provides real-time tracking, API/EDI integration, ELD connectivity, and digital booking. It serves both shippers (needing freight solutions) and carriers (offering load access and rapid payment processing).
Product overview
Backhaul Direct is a 3PL logistics provider offering a unified service portfolio centered on its proprietary Grapevine TMS platform. The core offering consists of Grapevine TMS (full-featured transportation management system with API/EDI integration, digital booking, and ELD capabilities) and Grapevine Lite (scaled version for smaller operations). Supporting services include Managed Transportation, OTR Highway Solutions, Ocean and Air Freight, LTL and Parcel shipping, and Warehousing/Inventory Management. All services leverage multimodal transportation networks and are backed by 24/7 dedicated support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grapevine TMS Backhaul Direct's proprietary Transportation Management System providing end-to-end supply chain visibility, control, and traceability with API and EDI integration, ELD connectivity, and digital booking capabilities for shippers.
- Grapevine Lite Scaled-down version of the proprietary Grapevine TMS designed for shippers with smaller-scale technology needs, providing core tracking and visibility features.
- Managed Transportation Full-service transportation management offering where Backhaul Direct takes responsibility for the entire supply chain operation, including carrier selection, routing, and optimization for shippers.
- OTR – Highway Solutions Over-the-road freight transportation services providing highway solutions for shippers requiring direct freight movement.
- Ocean and Air Freight International freight transportation services covering ocean and air cargo movement for global supply chain needs of shippers.
- LTL and Parcel Less-than-truckload and parcel shipping services for smaller shipments requiring cost-effective distribution solutions.
- Warehousing – Inventory Management Storage and inventory management services supporting shippers with warehousing needs and supply chain optimization.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced customer onboarding time and cost compared to competitors
Companies that use Backhaul Direct
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Backhaul Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Backhaul Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.
- Bakers ExpresscoreAcquired Indiana-based carrier company Bakers Express as part of expansion strategy to grow fleet capabilities and supply chain capacity. The acquisition aims to alleviate supply chain shortages and support company growth amid relocation and workforce expansion.
- DNK ExpresscoreAcquired Indiana-based carrier company DNK Express to expand fleet and supply chain capabilities as part of strategic growth initiative to enhance North American and international service reach.
- TriumphPaycoreTriumphPay integration enables seamless transactions and rapid payments for carriers, allowing faster payment processing even while on the road. This partnership addresses the critical need for streamlined payment solutions in the logistics industry.
- HubtransupportingHubtran partnership provides carriers with invoice viewing and management capabilities in real-time, allowing faster document processing and improved operational efficiency for fleet management.
- FourKitessupportingFourKites supply chain visibility platform partnership provides end-to-end traceability and real-time tracking capabilities, enhancing transparency throughout the supply chain for Backhaul Direct customers.
- Riley Children's FoundationsupportingBackhaul Direct's primary philanthropic partner through their annual Golf Outing event, raising $75,000+ annually for Riley Hospital for Children Heart Center. Also supports through red wagon naming in honor of founding Backhauler Lee Johnson.
- Gleaners Food BankminorCommunity support partnership for food security initiatives in the Indianapolis area.
- Wheeler MissionminorCommunity support partnership for homeless services and support in the Indianapolis area.
- Disabled American VeteransminorCommunity support partnership supporting veterans organizations.
- Coburn PlaceminorCommunity support partnership for transitional housing services.
- Dayspring CenterminorCommunity support partnership for homeless shelter and services.
- Holy Family ShelterminorCommunity support partnership for family shelter services.
- Indiana Sports CorpminorCommunity support partnership supporting sports and athletic programs in Indiana.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Backhaul Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hub Group: Multimodal provider combining intermodal, truck brokerage, logistics, and supply chain solutions. Comparable multimodal breadth and managed transportation offering to Backhaul Direct.
- Landstar System: Asset-light transportation services company using a network of independent agents, owner-operators, and carriers. Compares on asset-light brokerage and carrier-network model.
- Coyote Logistics: UPS-owned digital freight brokerage offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, and managed transportation. Directly comparable in truckload brokerage with technology emphasis.
- RXO, Inc. Asset-light freight brokerage spun out from XPO, focused on truck brokerage, managed transportation, and last-mile services. Closest direct competitor in business model to Backhaul Direct.
- C.H. Robinson Worldwide: One of the largest North American 3PLs and non-asset freight brokerages, offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, ocean, and air forwarding. Directly comparable to Backhaul Direct in service mix and broker-led model, though far larger in scale.
- Echo Global Logistics: Technology-enabled non-asset 3PL offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, and managed transportation. Very similar service profile and tech-enabled brokerage approach as Backhaul Direct.
- Worldwide Express: Mid-market 3PL offering LTL, truckload, and parcel services through a sales-led agency model. Closely comparable in size, GTM motion, and service mix to Backhaul Direct.
Broad incumbents
- Schneider National: Major asset-based truckload, intermodal, and logistics provider with a sizable brokerage segment. Overlaps with Backhaul Direct on freight brokerage and managed transportation as part of a broader portfolio.
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Large asset-based carrier with significant truck brokerage and intermodal operations. Overlaps with Backhaul Direct on brokerage and managed transportation but at much greater scale.
Emerging players
- Uber Freight: Digital-native freight brokerage leveraging Uber's technology platform for truckload, intermodal, and managed transportation. Comparable brokerage offering but with a fundamentally different technology and capital base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Backhaul Direct social profiles
Digital presenceBackhaul Direct compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Backhaul Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Backhaul Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Backhaul Direct subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Backhaul Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Backhaul Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Backhaul Direct
What does Backhaul Direct do?
Backhaul Direct is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that manages freight transportation for shippers across multiple modes—OTR highway, ocean and air, LTL, and parcel—plus managed transportation and warehousing/inventory management. The company also operates a proprietary Transportation Management System (Grapevine TMS, with a Grapevine Lite variant) that provides real-time tracking, API/EDI integration, ELD connectivity, and digital booking. It serves both shippers (needing freight solutions) and carriers (offering load access and rapid payment processing).
Is Backhaul Direct a public or private company?
Backhaul Direct is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Backhaul Direct founded?
Backhaul Direct was founded in 2004. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Backhaul Direct based?
Backhaul Direct is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Backhaul Direct make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. 3PL Freight Services are the primary driver. The others are carrier Payment Processing.
Who are Backhaul Direct's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hub Group, Landstar System, Coyote Logistics, RXO, Inc., C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Echo Global Logistics and Worldwide Express. Broad incumbents are Schneider National and J.B. Hunt Transport Services. Uber Freight is listed as an emerging player.
Does Backhaul Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Backhaul Direct.
What industry is Backhaul Direct in?
Backhaul Direct's product category is Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACACAF, Dedicated / Contract Carriage Brokerage (Shippers’ Managed Capacity), with a secondary code of TLACACAB, Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) / Groupage Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.