FLS Transportation Services

What FLS Transportation Services does

FLS Transportation Services is a North American third-party logistics provider (3PL) and freight broker founded in 1987 in Montreal, Canada, and now operating 19 branch offices across the US and Canada with US headquarters in Atlanta, GA. The company matches shipper demand to carrier capacity across dry van, temperature-controlled, specialized/flatbed, less-than-truckload (LTL), intermodal, drayage, bulk, and project logistics modes, with a particular focus on US-Canada-Mexico cross-border freight under USMCA expertise. Its carrier network is described at 54,000 carriers and 400,000 trucks, and it reports a 0.001% claims rate underpinned by a manual approval and daily performance monitoring process. Revenue is generated through transactional brokerage spreads on freight loads, supplemented by managed transportation services and project logistics execution for retail store openings, events, construction, and conventions. The customer base spans enterprise, mid-market, and SMB shippers across retail, manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and industrial sectors, and the combined entity reports approximately $600M USD in revenue following the June 2024 acquisition of Anderson Transportation & Logistics.

The company's technology platform consists of a dual-portal system: the FLS Shipper Portal for online quoting, booking, real-time tracking, document retrieval, and invoice management, and the FLS Carrier Portal for load board search, lane bidding, load management, and payment access. These portals are supported by EDI and API integrations with named technology partners including Revenova and McLeod Software (TMS), FourKites, project44, and MacroPoint (visibility), HubTran (freight audit and back-office), and Triumph Pay (carrier payments). The distribution model is hybrid: dedicated regional sales executives and '3X Support' teams (sales executive plus customer success representative plus dispatch crew) serve enterprise accounts through 19 branches, while inside-sales and digital self-serve channels (phone, email, online quote forms, portals) serve mid-market and SMB shippers and carriers. Marketing emphasizes content assets such as the Weekly Freight Report newsletter, the Driving Forward podcast featuring CEO John Leach, and downloadable shipper guides (RFP checklist, KPI worksheet, USMCA guide, cross-border freight handbook, master accessorial list).

FLS has been privately held since 2016 under Boston-based private equity firm ABRY Partners, which acquired the company from its original owners and funded subsequent growth. The company has executed a deliberate M&A roll-up strategy, acquiring Scott Logistics Corp. in 2019 to expand US Southeast carrier density and surpassing $500M in revenue, followed by the June 2024 acquisition of Anderson Transportation & Logistics to add flatbed/specialized capacity and reach approximately $600M in combined revenue, positioning FLS as a top-25 3PL in North America. Industry recognition includes the 2025 Inbound Logistics Top 100 3PLs and 75 Green Supply Chain Partners lists, the Transport Topics Top 3PLs ranking (#23), and self-claimed '#1 3PL for Cross-Border Freight' positioning. CEO John Leach, formerly of Coyote Logistics, leads a management team including CFO Bill Garrahan, Chief People Officer Nichole Thompson, SVP Operations Rich Wolfe, and SVP Sales Chad Green.

Name

FLS Transportation Services

Legal name

FLS Transportation Services, Limited

Website

https://flstransport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

FLS Transportation Services is a North American 3PL freight broker founded in 1987, matching shippers to a 54,000-carrier network across dry van, temperature-controlled, specialized, LTL, and cross-border US-Canada-Mexico lanes, generating approximately $600M in combined revenue post the 2024 Anderson acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Brokerage and Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Freight Brokerage (Truckload/LTL/Intermodal) (TLAIAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation Management & Managed Freight (Dedicated Transport, Brokerage-Managed) (TLAIAAAE), Route Surveys, Permitting & Regulatory Compliance (Oversize/Overweight) (TLAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Freight brokerage services
• Third-party logistics
• Cross-border shipping
• Truckload transportation
• Managed transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Freight Brokerage Transaction Fees: FLS acts as a third-party logistics provider (3PL) brokering freight between shippers and carriers. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on freight loads moved across their network of 54,000 carriers. The company handles all equipment modes including dry van, reefer, specialized freight, LTL, intermodal, and cross-border shipments.
2. Freight Management Services: Managed services offering complete freight management and business intelligence reporting for shippers' supply chains. Includes load planning, appointment scheduling, shipment tracking, POD management, carrier management, KPI reporting, and freight invoice auditing.
3. Project Logistics: Specialized logistics execution for turn-key projects including store openings, campaign rallies, seasonal events, building construction, music festivals, conventions, concerts, and tradeshows. Covers last mile warehousing, staging, delivery, fixture roll-outs, FF&E installations, and inventory management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

FLS Transportation Services is a third-party logistics provider (3PL) that brokers freight between shippers and carriers across North America through a digital freight platform and a network of 54,000 carriers and 400,000 trucks. The company offers dry van, temperature-controlled, specialized, LTL, intermodal, project logistics, and cross-border shipping services, supported by proprietary Shipper and Carrier Portals, EDI/API integrations, and 24/7 dedicated sales, customer success, and dispatch teams.

Product overview

FLS Transportation Services operates a digital freight brokerage platform serving shippers and carriers across North America. The core platform is complemented by two customer-facing digital portals: the FLS Shipper Portal for quote requests, load booking, real-time tracking, and invoice management, and the FLS Carrier Portal for load searching, lane bidding, and payment access. Core freight services include Dry Van, Temperature Controlled Freight, Specialized Freight, Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), and Intermodal shipping. The company also offers Freight Management Services as an outsourced module and Project Logistics for event and construction projects. Cross-Border Shipping with USMCA expertise is a key differentiator for US-Canada-Mexico freight. The company provides free downloadable resource guides including The Weekly Freight Report, Master List of Accessorials, Complete KPI Worksheet, Ultimate RFP Checklist, USMCA Guide, Cross-Border Freight Guide, and Big Book of Shipper Links.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dry Van Freight Brokerage Full truckload (FTL) dry van services offering flexible capacity for long haul, short haul, cross-border, and high value loads across North America, for shippers needing standard van equipment.
• Temperature-Controlled Freight Reefer services with smart reefers featuring active temperature control, freeze protect, and wireless monitoring for perishable goods including produce, pharmaceuticals, dairy, seafood, meat, and floral.
• Specialized Freight Handling for oversized, over-dimensional, and overweight shipments including flatbed, step deck, low boy, heavy haul, and bulk transportation across North America, for shippers with unique, heavy, or oversized freight needs.
• Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Regional, national, and cross-border LTL services with API and EDI capabilities for matching customers with carriers, allowing shippers to pay only for the space occupied.
• Intermodal and Drayage Intermodal rail solutions (COFC/TOFC) providing cost-effective door-to-door shipping with drayage coverage at every key ramp and port, all container sizes, chassis or power only, offering 18-20% cost savings versus OTR for shipments over 700 miles.
• Cross-Border Shipping North American cross-border freight services between the US, Canada, and Mexico, leveraging USMCA expertise for customs documentation, customs agent communication, and border clearance facilitation.
• Freight Management Services Outsourced managed transportation solution covering load planning, appointment scheduling, shipment tracking, freight invoice auditing, payment processing, carrier selection and performance monitoring, KPI reporting, and LTL consolidation for companies lacking internal transportation teams.
• Project Logistics Turn-key project logistics execution for store openings, campaign rallies, seasonal events, building construction, music festivals, conventions, concerts, and tradeshows, covering last-mile warehousing, staging, delivery, fixture roll-outs, FF&E installations, and inventory management.
• FLS Shipper Portal Customer-facing digital portal enabling shippers to request quotes, book loads, view load history, track shipments in real time, access complete load details including BOLs, PODs, and geolocation pings, and manage invoices with payment status visibility.
• FLS Carrier Portal Web-based portal for carriers to search loads on the load board, bid on lanes, manage assigned loads, track and trace shipments, view invoices, access PODs and BOLs, and generate custom reports, with multi-language support (EN, FR, ESP).

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.001% claims rate demonstrating proven carrier compliance
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Anderson Transportation & Logistics, LLC (ATL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024South Carolina-based company acquired in June 2024 with 19+ years of experience and extensive flatbed carrier network. Acquisition enhances FLS's position as Top 25 3PL in North America with combined revenues of approximately $600M USD.
• Scott Logistics CorpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Georgia-based freight broker acquired in 2019. Recognized by Transport Topics as the 42nd largest broker in the US. Combined with FLS's cross-border expertise to create a top 3PL with revenues exceeding $500M.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Coyote Logistics (UPS Supply Chain Solutions): Asset-light freight brokerage owned by UPS, formerly a top US 3PL with similar cross-border North America reach. Direct competitor to FLS in truckload brokerage; CEO John Leach of FLS previously led Coyote.
• RXO, Inc. Spin-off from XPO focused on asset-light freight brokerage and last-mile services in North America. Comparable scale (multi-billion revenue), similar asset-light brokerage model, and overlapping shipper/carrier audiences.
• Echo Global Logistics: US-based non-asset freight brokerage offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, and managed transportation. Closely comparable operating model to FLS with multi-mode brokerage and managed services.
• Hub Group: Asset-light intermodal and logistics services company with dedicated, brokerage, and final-mile offerings. Directly comparable to FLS in intermodal and brokerage, with similar enterprise TMS integrations.
• Landstar System: Asset-light transportation services company using BCO (business capacity owner) agent network to provide truckload and specialized freight. Comparable non-asset business model and variable cost structure to FLS.
• ArcBest Corporation: Asset-based and asset-light freight operator (ABF Freight + ArcBest Logistics). Direct competitor in LTL brokerage and truckload brokerage with overlapping North American enterprise shipper base.

Broad incumbents

• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Larger, publicly-traded multimodal carrier with a major brokerage segment (J.B. Hunt 360) plus intermodal and dedicated contract services. Overlaps with FLS in brokerage and intermodal but with much broader scale and asset ownership.
• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest US truckload carrier with a growing logistics (brokerage) segment and LTL operations (U.S. Xpress, AAA Cooper). Comparable brokerage offering but with significant owned asset base and broader scope.
• Schneider National: Large publicly-traded carrier with intermodal, dedicated, and brokerage segments. Competes with FLS in cross-border truckload, intermodal, and managed transportation but with owned asset capacity.

Emerging players

• Uber Freight: Digital-native freight brokerage owned by Uber, offering shipper-direct and carrier-facing platforms. Emerging direct competitor to traditional brokerages like FLS, with technology-first pricing and matching.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TransportFLS
• Facebookfacebook.com/FLSTRANSPORTATION
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fls-transportation-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/flstransportationservices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FLS Transportation Services