What Heartland Express does

Heartland Express, Inc. is a North Liberty, Iowa-based irregular route truckload carrier founded in 1982 and listed on NASDAQ under ticker HTLD. The company operates approximately 5,550 tractors and 17,800 trailers across 21 remodeled U.S. terminals, providing long haul, regional, team, and dedicated dry van and temperature-controlled service primarily east of the Rocky Mountains, with cross-border operations to Mexico (via CFI Logistica) and reported activity in Canada. Through its four operating brands — Heartland Express, Millis Transfer (acquired 2019), Smith Transport (acquired 2022), and Contract Freighters Inc./CFI (acquired 2022) — the company serves enterprise shippers in retail, food & beverage, consumer goods, manufacturing, automotive, and paper/packaging end markets, with named enterprise customers including Walmart, Lowe's, FedEx, Unilever, PepsiCo, Kellogg, Whirlpool, DHL, and Miller Coors.

The company's underlying technology stack centers on conventional fleet management: late-model tractors (Kenworth, Freightliner, International) with engine and aerodynamic improvements to reduce fuel consumption, idling-reduction technologies, real-time shipment tracking integrated into customer systems, and EPA SmartWay-certified equipment. There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, proprietary model, or data flywheel. The platform is differentiated by hardware (newest-in-industry fleet) and a security/operations integration layer rather than by software IP.

Heartland generates revenue primarily on a per-mile or per-shipment quote-based transactional model negotiated directly with enterprise customers through a dedicated sales function (800-451-4621), with secondary revenue from gains on equipment sales when fleet rotation occurs. GTM is sales-led and relationship-driven, supported by investor conference participation, a corporate website, and a separate driver recruitment portal (driveheartland.com). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; driver compensation varies by division (OTR per-mile, regional per-mile, shorthaul weekly guaranteed salary of $975-$1,150, team per-mile). FY2025 revenue is approximately $762.5M with Q1 2026 down 19.7% YoY, and the company has paid 92 consecutive quarterly dividends since Q3 2003.

Name

Heartland Express

Legal name

Heartland Express, Inc.

Website

https://heartlandexpress.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Heartland Express is a publicly traded U.S. truckload carrier operating approximately 5,550 tractors and 17,800 trailers across long haul, regional, team, and dedicated service lines. The firm serves enterprise shippers in retail, food & beverage, consumer goods, manufacturing, and logistics end markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Truckload Transportation Services

SIC

Trucking (No Local) (4213)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive & Finished Vehicle (Car Hauler) TL Carriers (TLADADAJ)

Keywords

• Truckload transportation
• Irregular route carrier
• Dry van freight
• Regional truckload services
• Dedicated trucking

Headquarters

HQ city

North Liberty

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Truckload Transportation Services: Heartland Express generates revenue through providing truckload transportation services, including long haul, regional, dedicated, and team operations. Services include dry van and temperature-controlled freight transportation primarily east of the Rocky Mountains, with cross-border operations to Mexico. Revenue is generated on a per-mile or per-shipment basis.
2. Equipment Sales: The company generates gains on equipment sales through fleet disposals, contributing to revenue during quarters when significant equipment sales occur.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Heartland Express is an irregular route truckload carrier providing long haul, regional, dedicated, and team transportation services across the United States and Mexico. The company operates a fleet of late-model tractors and trailers, offering dry van and temperature-controlled freight transportation primarily east of the Rocky Mountains, with cross-border operations through CFI Logistica in Mexico.

Product overview

Heartland Express is a truckload transportation company providing collaborative trucking services across the United States and Mexico. The company operates primarily through three core service lines: Long Haul Truckload Transportation (covering markets east of the Rocky Mountains), Regional Truckload Transportation (short to medium haul with nationwide operating centers), and Team and Dedicated Operations (continuous long-haul and dedicated lane services). The company has grown through acquisitions including Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI), Smith Transport, and Millis Transfer, all operating under the Heartland Express umbrella. The company serves major shippers in automotive, consumer goods, food, manufacturing, paper and plastic, and retail industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Long Haul Truckload Transportation Truckload transportation service providing coverage to virtually all markets east of the Rocky Mountains at any length of haul, using a large fleet of over-the-road drivers for enterprise shippers.
• Regional Truckload Transportation
• Team and Dedicated Operations
• Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI) Truckload Services Non-dedicated U.S. dry van and temperature-controlled truckload business and CFI Logistica operations in Mexico, providing cross-border freight services between the United States and Mexico.
• Millis Transfer Truckload Services Dry van truckload carrier services based in Black River Falls, WI, providing regional coverage in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions as part of Heartland Express's family of companies.
• Smith Transport Truckload Services

Quantifiable outcome

• FedEx Platinum Service Award - 99.98% on-time delivery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RealtermcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Realterm acquired a 40-acre industrial outdoor storage facility at 14610 Mines Road in Laredo, Texas, with 22,250 square feet currently leased to Heartland Express. The facility is the leading U.S. gateway for cross-border trade with Mexico, handling over $339.5 billion in commodities annually through Port Laredo.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Werner Enterprises: Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) is a premier asset-based truckload carrier with a similar mix of dedicated, one-way TL, and logistics services. Highly comparable to Heartland in fleet size, customer base (Walmart, PepsiCo), and exposure to the same cyclical freight dynamics.
• Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings: Knight-Swift (NYSE: KNX) is the largest truckload carrier in the US, formed through Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation. Direct competitor to Heartland in TL dry van and temperature-controlled freight, with additional LTL and intermodal capabilities.
• Schneider National: Schneider National (NYSE: SNDR) operates one of the largest TL, intermodal, and logistics networks in North America. Highly comparable asset-based TL business with overlapping enterprise customers and a similar focus on the largest US shippers.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: J.B. Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT) is a leading multimodal carrier spanning intermodal, dedicated, final mile, and truckload. Overlaps directly with Heartland in dedicated and TL services, and serves many of the same Fortune 500 shippers.
• Marten Transport: Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) is a TL carrier focused on temperature-controlled, dry van, and intermodal services — closely aligned with Heartland's temperature-controlled/dry van mix. Similar size and similar enterprise customer base.
• TFI International: TFI International (NYSE: TFII) is a Canadian-based multimodal carrier and was the seller of CFI to Heartland. Operates a large TL and LTL network in the US and Canada, making it a natural comparable particularly in cross-border lanes.
• Covenant Logistics Group: Covenant Logistics (NASDAQ: CVLG) is a mid-sized asset-based TL carrier offering dedicated, expedited, and refrigerated services. Closely comparable to Heartland in fleet scale, customer mix, and exposure to cyclical freight volumes.
• ArcBest Corporation: ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) operates asset-based TL through its MoLo Solutions subsidiary and Panther Premium Logistics, alongside its LTL core (ABF Freight). Comparable to Heartland in serving enterprise TL customers, with added LTL and logistics diversification.
• Hub Group: Hub Group (NASDAQ: HUBG) is an asset-light intermodal and logistics services provider with growing dedicated truckload capabilities. Comparable to Heartland in serving similar enterprise customers and offering supply chain solutions at scale.

Broad incumbents

• Ryder System: Ryder (NYSE: R) is a broad incumbent in commercial truckload, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions, plus fleet leasing. Comparable in dedicated TL services and enterprise customer base, with a much larger portfolio including leasing and last-mile delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heartlandexp
• Facebookfacebook.com/HeartlandExp

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A3 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Heartland Express