U.S. Transport
U.S. Transport is a privately held bulk transportation company operating a modern fleet and 11 terminals across the Rocky Mountain West, hauling dry and bulk commodities (cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime) for construction, mining, and manufacturing customers under long-term dedicated contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What U.S. Transport does
U.S. Transport, Inc. (also DBA US Transport / USTRANSPORT; previously Don Ward Transport) is a privately held, founder-owned bulk transportation company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in the late 1990s and wholly owned by Steve Nelligan since October 2004, the company operates six transportation and rail entities and runs an 11-terminal network across Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Wyoming. It hauls dry and bulk commodities — cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, and sand — for customers in construction, mining, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and heavy industry.
The company operates a modern fleet of Kenworth T680 and Freightliner Cascadia tractors paired with diversified equipment (coal trailers, end dumps, tankers, step decks, RGNs, Conestogas, side-kit flatbeds), supported by in-cab camera coaching, satellite communications and dispatch, E-Logs, roll-stability control, Bendix disc brakes, and fuel-optimization technology. Rail and transloading services, portable storage containers, and silos extend the offering into multimodal logistics at terminal sites, including a leasing arm (Havens Leasing, LLC).
U.S. Transport earns revenue primarily through transactional per-load billing on bulk transportation services, augmented by professional-services fees for rail/transloading operations and managed-services revenue from equipment and storage partnerships. Pricing to customers is quote-based; to drivers, the company publishes sign-on ($2,500), referral ($2,000), attendance-based guarantee ($900/week), and semi-annual safety bonuses (up to $1,000 every six months). The company pursues long-term dedicated partnerships via direct enterprise sales with industrial customers, supported by content marketing (blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) and a dedicated recruiting channel (driverapponline.com). The 2021 acquisition of Havens Transport, LLC and Havens Leasing, LLC is its most recent inorganic move.
U.S. Transport firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- U.S. Transport
- Legal name
- US Transport, Inc.
- Website
- https://us-transport.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- U.S. Transport is a privately held bulk transportation company operating a modern fleet and 11 terminals across the Rocky Mountain West, hauling dry and bulk commodities (cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime) for construction, mining, and manufacturing customers under long-term dedicated contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
U.S. Transport industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bulk Transportation Services
- NAICS
- Transportation and Warehousing (48-49), Rail Transportation (482), Warehousing and Storage (493)
- SIC
- Trucking (No Local) (4213), Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Minerals & Chemicals (Non-Haz Bulk Powders) Transport (TLADAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coal & Coke Transport (TLADAKAF), Bulk Transloading & Intermodal Bulk Transfer Facilities (Rail/Truck/Conveyor/Barge) (TLAHABAN)
Keywords
Where U.S. Transport is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
U.S. Transport business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Bulk Transportation Services: Transportation of dry and bulk materials including cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, sand and other commodities for industrial customers through dedicated fleet operations.
- Rail and Transloading Services: Rail transfer and transloading services at terminal locations for multimodal transportation solutions.
- Equipment and Storage Solutions: Partnership opportunities for equipment and storage including portable storage, silos and other storage facilities at transloading locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | Driver Compensation - Sign-On Bonus |
| Other | One time | Driver Referral Bonus |
| Other | Weekly | Attendance-Based Guarantee Pay |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Safety Bonus Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
U.S. Transport product offering
Product offeringCore offering
U.S. Transport provides bulk transportation of dry and bulk commodities such as cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, and sand for industrial customers in construction, mining, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and heavy industry. The service is delivered through a modern Kenworth T680 and Freightliner Cascadia fleet equipped with advanced safety systems, supported by rail transfer and transloading terminals, portable storage containers, and silos across the Western United States.
Product overview
U.S. Transport operates as a strategic bulk transportation company offering a comprehensive suite of logistics services for dry and bulk materials. The company provides transportation via a modern fleet of Kenworth T680 and Freightliner Cascadia trucks, supported by specialized equipment including coal trailers, end dumps, tankers, and flatbeds. The portfolio includes rail and transloading services, portable storage, and silos for multimodal transportation solutions across the Western United States. Core service areas include mining, construction, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and heavy industry, handling commodities such as cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, and sand. The company also offers comprehensive safety and compliance services with in-cab camera coaching and driver performance monitoring.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bulk Transportation Services Long-term dedicated transportation of dry and bulk commodities (cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, sand) for construction, mining, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and heavy industry customers across the Western United States, executed with coal trailers, end dumps, tankers, and flatbeds pulled by modern Kenworth T680 and Freightliner Cascadia power units.
- Rail & Transloading Services Rail transfer services and transloading facilities at regional terminals that move freight between rail cars and trucks, enabling multimodal bulk logistics solutions for industrial customers across the Western United States.
- Portable Storage & Silos Temporary storage solutions including portable storage containers and silos for bulk commodities requiring specialized containment, offered at transloading locations across the Western United States.
- Safety & Compliance Services Safety management and compliance services for bulk transport operations including in-cab camera coaching, driver performance monitoring, CSA score management, E-logs compliance, safety incentive programs, and EPA SmartWay-aligned fuel efficiency initiatives.
Quantifiable outcome
- CSA ISS Score of 39 indicating best-in-class safety performance
Companies that use U.S. Transport
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
U.S. Transport technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
U.S. Transport partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SmartWay ProgramminorUS Transport has partnered with SmartWay to demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing transportation related emissions. The partnership involves improving fuel efficiency through their modern fleet, which enables better MPG, reduced fuel consumption, and lower emissions production.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
U.S. Transport competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quality Distribution / Quality Carriers (QC): Quality Distribution's Quality Carriers division is the largest tank/bulk carrier in North America, specializing in bulk liquid and dry bulk industrial freight including chemicals and fly ash. Highly comparable given U.S. Transport's bulk industrial focus and inclusion of tanker and dry bulk haulage for cement, fly ash, and similar commodities.
- Werner Enterprises: Werner Enterprises is a large, publicly traded truckload carrier with significant dedicated and bulk/industrial fleet operations serving similar enterprise customers across multiple verticals including manufacturing and consumer goods. Directly comparable business model with dedicated contracts, modern fleet, technology investment in safety and telematics, and similar safety awards culture.
- Heartland Express: Heartland Express is a publicly traded, asset-based truckload carrier focused on irregular-route and dedicated freight with a modern fleet and strong safety record. Directly comparable mid-sized dry-van/dedicated carrier with similar safety-first positioning and asset-heavy operating model.
- Kenan Advantage Group: Kenan Advantage Group is one of the largest tank truck and bulk logistics providers in North America, operating dedicated and irregular-route fleets for chemicals, food, and industrial bulk customers. Highly comparable focused bulk carrier with similar dedicated contracts and equipment profile (tankers, end dumps, dry bulk trailers).
- Trimac Transportation: Trimac is a North American bulk carrier and transportation services provider with a network of bulk terminals and tank cleaning facilities serving industrial customers. Comparable given multimodal bulk footprint, terminal infrastructure, and industrial customer base similar to U.S. Transport's rail/transloading model.
- Marten Transport: Marten Transport is a publicly traded, asset-based truckload carrier focused on dedicated, refrigerated, and irregular-route freight with similar safety and modern-fleet positioning. Comparable given private to mid-cap public carrier scale, dedicated/industrial customer focus, and emphasis on technology and driver retention.
Broad incumbents
- Schneider National: Schneider operates one of the largest truckload, intermodal, and logistics networks in North America, with significant bulk, dedicated, and rail-intermodal capacity serving industrial customers. Comparable as a multi-modal incumbent with similar end-market exposure to construction, manufacturing, and mining bulk freight.
- Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings: Knight-Swift is the largest truckload carrier in North America operating dedicated, irregular route, refrigerated, and LTL services with broad multimodal logistics capabilities. Comparable as a large incumbent with similar dedicated-fleet model, M&A roll-up history, and exposure to industrial customers including manufacturing and construction.
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services: J.B. Hunt is one of the largest surface transportation, delivery, and logistics services providers in North America with a strong intermodal and dedicated contract services segment. Comparable as an established multimodal incumbent with bulk/dedicated truckload capabilities serving similar industrial customers.
Emerging players
- Hub Group: Hub Group is a publicly traded asset-light freight transportation services company with a strong intermodal and dedicated truckload focus. Comparable given emphasis on intermodal/rail-integrated truckload solutions and dedicated industrial contracts, though structurally different (more asset-light) than U.S. Transport.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
U.S. Transport social profiles
Digital presenceU.S. Transport compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
U.S. Transport financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
U.S. Transport leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
U.S. Transport subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
U.S. Transport funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
U.S. Transport 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 U.S. Transport
What does U.S. Transport do?
U.S. Transport provides bulk transportation of dry and bulk commodities such as cement, fly ash, coal, aggregates, lime, glass, asphalt, urea, and sand for industrial customers in construction, mining, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and heavy industry. The service is delivered through a modern Kenworth T680 and Freightliner Cascadia fleet equipped with advanced safety systems, supported by rail transfer and transloading terminals, portable storage containers, and silos across the Western United States.
Is U.S. Transport a public or private company?
U.S. Transport is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was U.S. Transport founded?
U.S. Transport was founded in 1998. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is U.S. Transport based?
U.S. Transport is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does U.S. Transport make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bulk Transportation Services are the primary driver. The others are rail and Transloading Services and equipment and Storage Solutions.
Who are U.S. Transport's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quality Distribution / Quality Carriers (QC), Werner Enterprises, Heartland Express, Kenan Advantage Group, Trimac Transportation and Marten Transport. Broad incumbents are Schneider National, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings and J.B. Hunt Transport Services. Hub Group is listed as an emerging player.
Does U.S. Transport have an API?
No public API is recorded for U.S. Transport.
What industry is U.S. Transport in?
U.S. Transport's product category is Bulk Transportation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAKAJ, Industrial Minerals & Chemicals (Non-Haz Bulk Powders) Transport, with a secondary code of TLADAKAF, Coal & Coke Transport. Its NAICS code is 48-49 and its SIC code is 4213.