Epes Transport System, Inc

What Epes Transport System, Inc does

Epes Transport System, LLC is a US private trucking company founded in 1931 (originally as The Transport Company) and headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, with primary regional operations in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company operates as a business unit of Penske Logistics following its 2018 acquisition, running a fleet of more than 1,150 tractors across regional terminals in the Southeast and Texas to serve Eastern and Midwestern US lanes. Epes delivers five core truckload services: dedicated truckload capacity, drayage at Southeast ports, shuttle operations, short- and long-haul dry van truckload, and yard switching at distribution centers and manufacturing plants.

The technology stack centers on telematics for vehicle performance monitoring, event-triggered onboard cameras that analyze driving behavior in real time, route optimization software, and Transportation Management System integration for shipment visibility. Epes participates in the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership, accumulating sustainability credentials aligned with shipper ESG requirements. The go-to-market is enterprise B2B field sales targeting manufacturers, retailers, and distributors with 10+ pallet or 10,000-15,000+ lb shipments, supported by direct customer service (800-869-3737), regional load planners assigned by geography, and Penske Logistics cross-referrals.

Revenue is generated through transaction-fee pricing on a quote basis, with rates determined by mileage, truck capacity, and service requirements rather than by weight or volume. Dedicated contracts and contracted lanes form the recurring revenue base, while drayage, shuttle, and yard-switching provide variable, freight-flow-linked income. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the company operates as a Pennsylvania LLC with no public listing, ticker, or external funding events.

Name

Epes Transport System, Inc

Legal name

EPES Transport System, LLC

Website

https://epestransport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Epes Transport System is a private dry van truckload carrier operating a 1,150+ tractor fleet across the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Founded in 1931 and owned by Penske Logistics since 2018, it serves B2B manufacturers, retailers, and distributors through dedicated, drayage, shuttle, and yard-switching services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Truckload Transportation Services: Full truckload (FTL) and dedicated truckload shipping services using dry van equipment. Revenue generated through contract rates based on mileage, truck capacity, and service requirements. Services include dedicated truckload capacity, drayage, shuttle operations, and yard switching.
2. Regional Truckload Services: Short-haul and long-haul truckload services covering the Eastern and Midwestern states with regional terminal density.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Epes Transport System is a truckload transportation and logistics company that provides dry van truckload services across the Eastern and Midwestern United States using a fleet of more than 1,150 tractors and a network of regional terminals. Core offerings include dedicated truckload capacity, drayage service at Southeast ports, shuttle operations, short-haul and long-haul truckload service, and yard switching at distribution centers and manufacturing plants.

Product overview

Epes Transport System offers a unified truckload transportation and logistics platform consisting of five core service offerings: Dedicated Truckload Capacity (fleets dedicated solely to customer needs), Drayage Service (port-to-short-distance cargo movement in the Southeast), Shuttle Operation (inter-facility goods transport), Truckload Service (dry van shipping for short-haul, long-haul, and dedicated routes), and Yard Switching (trailer loading/unloading optimization at distribution centers). The company operates a fleet of more than 1,150 tractors with regional terminals across the Southeast and Texas, providing coverage throughout the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Advanced technology capabilities include telematics for vehicle performance monitoring and route optimization to reduce empty miles and maximize truck utilization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dedicated Truckload Capacity Provides a fleet dedicated solely to customer needs, operated on the customer's schedule, offering consistent capacity and service reliability for commercial shippers.
• Drayage Service Moves cargo short distances from key ports in the Southeast to improve supply chain efficiency for import/export freight customers.
• Shuttle Operation Quickly transports goods between locations to minimize delays, optimizing freight flow across short distances for commercial customers.
• Truckload Service Dry van truckload shipping solution covering short-haul, long-haul, and dedicated routes across the Eastern and Midwestern United States for B2B shippers.
• Yard Switching Trained yard switchers optimize turnaround time while loading and unloading trailers at distribution centers and manufacturing plants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trucks move with purpose instead of sitting at docks or waiting for assignments; drivers operate predictable and efficient lanes; reduced dwell time through appointment scheduling and lane consistency

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Penske LogisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Epes Transport System, LLC operates as a business unit of Penske Logistics. Penske Logistics acquired Epes in 2018, providing Epes with access to Penske's resources, networks, and decades of combined experience in sustainable transportation solutions. Epes leverages Penske's technology and operational expertise.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (SmartWay Transport Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Epes participates in the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership, a collaboration between the EPA and industry providing a framework for assessing and improving environmental and energy efficiency of goods movement supply chains. The partnership includes nearly 4,000 participants including shippers, logistics companies, and multimodal carriers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Werner Enterprises: Public dry van truckload carrier with similar dedicated and one-way FTL service mix. Closely comparable in operating model, equipment type, and customer base.
• Schneider National: One of the largest US truckload carriers with overlapping dedicated, dry van truckload, and intermodal offerings. Directly comparable service portfolio and target shipper base.
• Marten Transport: Mid-size dry van truckload and dedicated carrier with similar service mix. Comparable fleet size and focus on temperature-controlled and dry van freight for retail/manufacturing shippers.
• Heartland Express: Asset-based dry van truckload carrier with similar tractor count and dedicated/irregular route service mix. Closely comparable on size, equipment type, and customer profile.
• Hub Group: Intermodal and drayage-heavy carrier that overlaps directly with Epes's port drayage service in the Southeast and broader truckload offerings.
• PAM Transport: Mid-size truckload and dedicated carrier of similar scale and dry van orientation, serving comparable manufacturing and retail shippers.
• Covenant Logistics Group: Asset-based truckload carrier offering dedicated, expedited, and refrigerated services. Comparable in service mix and mid-market shipper focus.
• Crete Carrier Corporation: Family-owned dry van truckload and dedicated carrier with comparable regional/national footprint and similar equipment and customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest US truckload operator with broad portfolio spanning dry van, refrigerated, LTL, and logistics. Overlaps with Epes in core truckload and dedicated services but at substantially greater scale.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Major multi-mode carrier spanning dedicated truckload, intermodal, and brokerage. Competitively comparable in dedicated capacity and drayage offerings, with broader scale and technology investments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epestransport
• Facebookfacebook.com/epes-transport-system-inc-132132273506128
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epes-transport-system-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Epes Transport System, Inc