Barr-Nunn Transportation

What Barr-Nunn Transportation does

Barr-Nunn Transportation LLC is a privately held dry van truckload carrier founded in 1982 and headquartered in Granger, Iowa. Since 2014 it has operated as an independent subsidiary of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., one of the largest trucking organizations in the US. The company runs approximately 600 late-model Freightliner and Kenworth tractors and about 2,150 Wabash and Great Dane 53-foot trailers, serving enterprise shippers across e-commerce, package shipping, manufacturing, food processing, retail, and consumer goods (notably Procter & Gamble). Service variants include a national fleet covering the eastern half of the US, regional short-haul operations in Des Moines, Chicago, Columbus, Allentown, and Atlanta, dedicated trucking, and surge/pop-up fleet solutions, with the company explicitly avoiding NYC and Canada lanes.

The underlying technology stack is third-party and operations-oriented rather than proprietary or AI-native. Fleet visibility is provided by Omnitracs in-cab communications and Electronic Logging Devices, SkyBitz trailer tracking with cargo sensors, and full EDI integration with customer systems, complemented by an online customer portal for load tracking and proof-of-delivery retrieval. Equipment maintenance and driver orientation facilities in Granger IA, Charlotte NC, Columbus OH, and Manchester PA support a nationwide outsourced maintenance network.

The business model is straightforward transaction-fee transportation: revenue is generated per load via direct sales to enterprise shippers, with EDI-enabled integration supporting large accounts and a horizontal segmentation approach across multiple verticals. Driver recruitment is a strategic pillar — Barr-Nunn markets itself as a Certified Top Pay Carrier with safety-based transition pay, a referral program, and a dedicated recruitment site (barr-nunntruckingjobs.com) — positioning driver retention as its primary operating moat in a labor-constrained market. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company employs 501-1,000 people and carries a DOT Satisfactory safety rating and EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership membership.

Name

Barr-Nunn Transportation

Legal name

Barr-Nunn Transportation LLC

Website

https://barr-nunn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Barr-Nunn Transportation is a privately held dry van truckload carrier, founded 1982 and headquartered in Granger, Iowa, operating as an independent subsidiary of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings. It runs roughly 600 tractors serving enterprise shippers across e-commerce, package shipping, manufacturing, food processing, and retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Truckload Transportation Services

NAICS

General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412), General Freight Trucking (4841)

SIC

Trucking (No Local) (4213), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers (TLADADAA)

Keywords

• Dry van trucking
• Truckload transportation
• Freight carrier services
• Logistics services
• Fleet management

Headquarters

HQ city

Granger

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dry Van Truckload Transportation Services: Barr-Nunn generates revenue through dry van truckload transportation services, providing over-the-road shipping for e-commerce, package shipping, manufacturing, food processing, and retail operations customers. The company operates about 600 tractors and 2,150 trailers with both solo and team driver options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barr-Nunn Transportation is a dry van truckload carrier providing over-the-road freight transportation for enterprise shippers across e-commerce, package shipping, manufacturing, food processing, and retail industries. The company operates approximately 600 tractors and 2,150 trailers delivering national fleet service across the eastern half of the United States, complemented by regional short-haul operations in Des Moines IA, Chicago IL, Columbus OH, Allentown PA, and Atlanta GA, with a focus on time-sensitive, service-intensive deliveries.

Product overview

Barr-Nunn Transportation operates as a dry van truckload carrier offering a unified service portfolio centered on freight transportation. The core offering consists of dry van truckload services, supplemented by technology-enabled add-ons including online load tracking, proof of delivery retrieval, and EDI integration. The company offers multiple service variants including National Fleet services (Eastern US coverage), Regional short-haul operations (centered in Des Moines, Chicago, Columbus, Allentown, Atlanta), Dedicated operations, and temporary surge/pop-up fleet services. Supporting the transportation product are ancillary services including driver recruitment via a dedicated job portal (barr-nunntruckingjobs.com), equipment maintenance facilities, and a driver referral program. The company operates approximately 600 tractors and 2,150 trailers from headquarters in Granger, IA with additional facilities in Charlotte, NC, Columbus, OH, and Manchester, PA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• barr-nunntruckingjobs.com: Dedicated truck driving jobs website for recruiting solo and team drivers

Products and services

• Dry Van Truckload Transportation Services Full truckload dry van services providing on-time pickup and delivery for e-commerce, manufacturing, food processing, retail, and package shipping customers, with emphasis on safety and time-sensitive service-intensive deliveries using late model Freightliner and Kenworth tractors and Wabash and Great Dane 53' trailers.
• National Fleet Services National fleet operations primarily servicing the eastern half of the United States with over-the-road capabilities for shippers requiring long-haul dry van coverage.
• Regional Short-Haul Operations

Quantifiable outcome

• About 600 tractors and 2,150 trailers providing significant fleet capacity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Procter & GamblecoreOthersBarr-Nunn Transportation serves as a transportation carrier for Procter & Gamble, recognized at their annual North America Carrier Summit for sustainable partnerships and collaboration. P&G's summit gathers nearly 300 guests from 90 transportation carriers to reinforce carrier relationship strategies.
• Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.coreOthersBarr-Nunn was acquired by Knight Transportation in 2014 and now operates as an independent subsidiary of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., part of the most successful trucking organization in the business.
• Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue ShieldminorOthersWellmark creates and publishes Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Barr-Nunn Transportation LLC to comply with the Federal Transparency in Coverage Rule for group health plan disclosure.
• SmartWay Transport Partnership (EPA)minorOthersBarr-Nunn is a proud member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership Program, which helps carriers measure transportation efficiencies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ryder System: Ryder operates dedicated truckload transportation solutions, supply chain, and fleet management services. Its dedicated transportation offering directly competes with Barr-Nunn's dedicated operations segment for enterprise customers.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: J.B. Hunt is one of the largest US carriers, with a major truckload segment alongside intermodal and dedicated contract services. Its truckload offerings overlap with Barr-Nunn's dry van and dedicated services, though it operates at much greater scale.
• Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings: Knight-Swift is Barr-Nunn's publicly traded parent and the largest truckload carrier in the US. While Barr-Nunn operates independently, Knight-Swift's broader truckload, LTL, and logistics portfolio is the most direct broader-incumbent comparable for the parent's strategic positioning.

Direct peers

• Schneider National: Schneider National operates a large truckload segment alongside intermodal and logistics, serving enterprise shippers including e-commerce and retail. Its truckload services, dedicated operations, and EDI/telematics investment closely mirror Barr-Nunn's positioning.
• Werner Enterprises: Werner Enterprises is a publicly traded dry van truckload carrier of comparable size with a national footprint and dedicated truckload services. It is one of the closest direct peers to Barr-Nunn in terms of service mix, customer profile (e-commerce, retail, manufacturing), and enterprise sales motion.
• U.S. Xpress Enterprises: U.S. Xpress operates a national dry van and dedicated truckload network serving enterprise shippers in e-commerce, retail, and manufacturing. Its size, customer base, and asset-based operating model align closely with Barr-Nunn's positioning.
• Marten Transport: Marten Transport operates temperature-controlled and dry van truckload services targeting retail and consumer goods shippers. Its mid-sized, premium-service orientation and dedicated offerings make it a close comparable to Barr-Nunn.
• Heartland Express: Heartland Express is an asset-based dry van truckload carrier serving similar time-sensitive freight customers. Its asset-light model and emphasis on driver pay and retention closely align with Barr-Nunn's value proposition.
• Covenant Logistics Group: Covenant Logistics operates dedicated, expedited, and refrigerated truckload services for enterprise shippers. Its mix of dedicated operations and customer-facing technology investments is directly comparable to Barr-Nunn's service portfolio.
• CRST International: CRST International is one of the largest privately held truckload carriers in the US, with a strong dedicated and dry van franchise. Its scale, customer mix, and focus on dedicated enterprise solutions position it as a direct peer to Barr-Nunn's truckload business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BarrNunnTrans
• Facebookfacebook.com/BarrNunnCareers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barr-nunn-transportation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Barr-Nunn Transportation