What Rist Transport does

RIST Transport Ltd. is a family-owned regional freight carrier headquartered in Phelps, New York, and operating as a subsidiary of Wadhams Enterprises. Founded in 1949, the company provides less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload, freight brokerage (Dunham Logistics), and warehousing and distribution (AMA Warehouse) services across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern United States, with cross-border reach into Canada through a channel partnership with Cavalier. Its operating model is built on a network of 15 LTL terminals spanning New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, a fleet of 625+ trailers, and access to 1,500+ insured carrier partners via its brokerage division. Customer acquisition is primarily sales-led and quote-based, with regional sales managers, terminal-level contacts, and a website-driven quote-request funnel supporting a long-tail mix of SMB and mid-market shippers.

The technology stack is centered on CLI's FACTS freight management software, deployed across all 15 terminals to automate dispatch, routing, and real-time customer updates, complemented by satellite-based GPS tracking, EDI billing, and a customer-facing web portal for shipment tracking and quote requests. RIST generates revenue on a transactional fee basis per shipment, with LTL pricing typically ranging from $150 to $1,200+ depending on weight, freight class, distance, and accessorials, and truckload pricing quoted lane-by-lane. Warehousing is offered on a managed-services basis at the Billerica, MA facility. In June 2023, RIST expanded its New England presence through the acquisition of AMA Transportation Co., which now operates as RIST-AMA Transport, while AMA Warehouse provides adjacent storage and distribution services. The company holds a Trucking Association of New York Fleet Safety Award and is led operationally by Directors of LTL Operations (East and West) and regional sales managers, with Steve Wadhams as President and owner under the Wadhams family enterprise.

Name

Rist Transport

Legal name

RIST Transport Ltd.

Website

https://risttransport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rist Transport is a family-owned regional freight carrier founded in 1949, providing LTL, truckload, brokerage, and warehousing services across the Northeast US through a 15-terminal network and a fleet of 625+ trailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Transportation

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), General Freight Trucking (4841), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121)

SIC

Trucking (No Local) (4213), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

National/Regional LTL General Freight Carriers (TLADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAC), Cross-Border LTL (US-MX/US-CA) (TLADAEAI), Pool Distribution / Multi-Stop LTL Carriers (TLADAEAF)

Keywords

• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Truckload freight
• Freight brokerage
• Regional transportation
• Warehousing distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Phelps

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping: LTL freight shipping for shipments typically ranging from 1-6 pallets or 150-15,000 lbs, utilizing a network of terminals across the Northeast for consolidated regional shipping with next-day and second-day delivery options.
2. Truckload (FTL) Shipping: Full trailer shipping for dedicated loads, including short and long haul, dedicated services, and specialized transport (alcohol, haz-mat) across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions.
3. Freight Brokerage (Dunham Logistics): Brokerage services providing access to over 1,500 insured carrier partners for additional capacity, including dry van, flatbed, refrigerated, and specialized freight services nationwide.
4. Warehousing & Distribution (AMA Warehouse): Warehousing services at 50,000+ sq. feet Billerica, MA facility including long/short term storage, cross-docking, pick & pack, and distribution with over 50,000 sq. feet of space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RIST Transport provides regional less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping, full truckload (FTL) shipping, freight brokerage through its Dunham Logistics division, and warehousing and distribution via AMA Warehouse. The company operates a network of 15 LTL terminals across the Northeast, supported by a fleet of 625+ trailers, serving shippers in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping Regional less-than-truckload freight shipping for palletized and partial shipments typically ranging from 1–6 pallets or 150–15,000 lbs, utilizing a network of 15 terminals across the Northeast for consolidated regional shipping with next-day and second-day delivery options. Includes import/export, appointment deliveries, COD shipments, distribution/consolidation, and accessorial services such as liftgate, residential, and limited access deliveries. Targeted at manufacturers, distributors, and retailers shipping within the Northeast corridor.
• Truckload (FTL) Shipping Full-trailer shipping for dedicated loads across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest. Includes short-haul and long-haul service, dedicated capacity, and specialized transport for alcohol and haz-mat freight. Operates from dedicated truckload terminals in Rensselaer, NY and Horseheads, NY with a fleet of 625+ trailers. Targeted at businesses with full-trailer volume or time-sensitive dedicated freight needs.
• Freight Brokerage (Dunham Logistics) Freight brokerage services providing access to a network of over 1,500 insured carrier partners for additional capacity. Covers dry van, flatbed, refrigerated, and specialized freight services nationwide. Designed for shippers needing overflow capacity, out-of-lane shipments, specialized equipment, or coverage outside the primary Northeast service lanes. Operates as the Dunham Logistics division under RIST Transport.
• Warehousing & Distribution (AMA Warehouse) Warehousing and distribution services operated out of the 50,000+ sq. foot AMA Warehouse facility in Billerica, MA. Includes long-term and short-term storage, cross-docking, pick & pack, and distribution support. Designed for businesses needing Northeast inventory positioning, seasonal overflow staging, and fulfillment support to complement transportation. Customers access operations through a dedicated warehouse portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 625 trailers and 15 LTL terminals across the Northeast
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AMA Transportation Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2023RIST Transport completed acquisition of AMA Transportation Co. of Billerica, Massachusetts on June 5, 2023. The acquisition expands RIST's routes in New England and retains AMA as a subsidiary. AMA continues to operate as RIST-AMA Transport and provides LTL transport services to an expanded Northeast territory.
• CavaliercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Cavalier (cavalier.ca) providing seamless, one point of contact, next-day service to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) from select RIST service points. Includes multiple Canadian gateways for expedited service to Ontario and Quebec, ACU/eManifest processing, and warehousing/pool distribution capabilities on both sides of the border.
• 2 Day TransportminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with 2 Day Transport for enhanced Florida service, providing reliable coverage to major points along Florida's eastern coast. 2 Day Transport handles shipments within designated Florida service areas as a trusted regional carrier known for consistent transit times.
• Wadhams EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIST Transport is a Wadhams' family company, operating as part of Wadhams Enterprises. Wadhams is the parent company providing shared infrastructure, terminal directory, career opportunities, and corporate governance. RIST is one of several transportation brands including ARG Trucking.
• CLI (Carrier Logistics, Inc.)coreTechnology or IntegrationRIST-AMA Transport implemented CLI's FACTS freight management software across 15 terminals to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. The integration included automation of manual processes and deployment of dispatch, routing, and real-time customer updates.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Averitt Express: Integrated LTL, truckload, and logistics provider with a regional Southeast/Mid-South stronghold and growing Northeast presence. Closely matches RIST's multi-service mix and SMB/mid-market focus.
• Pitt Ohio: Mid-Atlantic/Northeast regional LTL and truckload carrier with similar family-owned heritage and integrated LTL/TL/warehouse service offering. Closely comparable in scale, regional density, and customer mix to RIST.
• Dayton Freight Lines: Regional LTL carrier serving the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic with a comparable mid-market, family-owned positioning. Overlapping Northeast/Mid-West service area and similar terminal-network business model.
• Southeastern Freight Lines: Regional LTL carrier with dense terminal network serving the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Comparable family-owned, privately-held business model and terminal-based LTL operating approach.
• AAA Cooper Transportation: Regional LTL and truckload carrier in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic with family-owned heritage. Comparable mid-market regional LTL operating model and integrated LTL/TL service offering.

Broad incumbents

• Old Dominion Freight Line: Largest pure-play LTL carrier in North America. Operates a national terminal network that directly competes with RIST's LTL service in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic lanes; relevant as the benchmark for LTL terminal economics and service density.
• Estes Express Lines: Privately-held national LTL carrier with extensive Northeast terminal coverage. Comparable LTL/truckload/brokerage service mix and family-owned ownership structure make it one of the closest direct competitors to RIST.
• Saia Inc. Public LTL carrier expanding Northeast presence. Competes with RIST on regional LTL density and is a relevant scale benchmark for terminal-by-terminal LTL economics.
• ArcBest (ABF Freight): Public less-than-truckload, truckload, and logistics provider. Competes with RIST's LTL and asset-based services and provides a relevant public-market valuation and operational benchmark.
• RXO (formerly XPO LTL brokerage): Major freight brokerage and transportation services provider. Directly comparable to RIST's Dunham Logistics brokerage division in serving shipper overflow and specialized capacity needs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RISTTransportLT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Rist Transport