Chicago Suburban Express

What Chicago Suburban Express does

Chicago Suburban Express is a privately held regional freight carrier founded in 1963 and headquartered in Forest View, Illinois (Chicago metropolitan area). The company operates a fleet of 60 trucks providing less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload freight services — overnight delivery, liftgate delivery, temperature-controlled (freezable) shipping, hazardous materials transport, and expedited/same-day service — to B2B shippers. Direct service covers a 100-mile radius around the Chicago Metro area, with a partner-carrier network extending coverage to all of Illinois and Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Area in Missouri, reaching over 1,000 destinations with a reported 97% next-day service rate.

The company runs a deliberately traditional operating model layered with modest digital tooling. All drivers hold Class A CDL licenses with hazmat endorsements, and the average driver tenure exceeds 10 years, with each driver servicing the same geographic area daily. Three executive partners (Doug McClement, President; Jerry Hickey, fleet maintenance; Doug Stephan, Operations) bring 96 years of combined transportation experience. The technology stack consists of a digital delivery system that generates electronic delivery receipts, online PRO-number shipment tracking, and emailed invoicing — alongside a phone-driven service model in which customers always reach a live representative rather than an automated system. Three consecutive Acuity Insurance fleet safety awards attest to fleet management discipline.

Commercially, Chicago Suburban Express generates revenue through transaction-based shipping fees determined by shipment weight, dimensions, destination, and service level, with a quote-based pricing structure and no additional charges for liftgate, cold-freight handling, or advance appointments. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct: toll-free phone, the company website, and emailed invoicing are the principal channels, with no formal marketing function or active sales campaigns described. The customer base is segmented horizontally across B2B shippers in the Chicago metro area and the broader four-state region, with no named enterprise logos disclosed. The company is owner-operated by its three executive partners with no external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity on record.

Name

Chicago Suburban Express

Legal name

Chicago Suburban Express

Website

https://chicagosuburban.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Suburban Express is a privately held regional freight carrier founded in 1963, operating 60 trucks to provide overnight, liftgate, hazmat, freezable, and expedited LTL/truckload services to B2B shippers across the Chicago metro area, Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and St. Louis Metro Missouri.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Freight Transportation

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Next-Day LTL Carriers (TLADAEAB)

Keywords

• Regional freight services
• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Overnight delivery services
• Hazardous materials transport
• Temperature-controlled freight

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: LTL and truckload freight shipping services including overnight delivery, volume shipments, same-day service, hazmat, and temperature-controlled (freezable) freight. Revenue generated through shipping fees based on shipment characteristics, distance, and service level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Chicago Suburban Express is a regional freight carrier operating a fleet of 60 trucks out of Forest View, Illinois, providing overnight, liftgate, freezable (temperature-controlled), hazmat, expedited, and volume/truckload delivery services. Service is performed directly within 100 miles of the Chicago Metro area and extended to Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and the St. Louis Metro area via partner carriers. Orders, tracking, and electronic delivery receipts are handled through the company website and toll-free phone lines staffed by live representatives.

Product overview

Chicago Suburban Express is a regional freight delivery company offering a portfolio of shipping services including overnight delivery, liftgate delivery, freezable product shipping, hazmat transportation, expedited delivery, and volume/truckload shipments. The company operates a fleet of 60 trucks serving Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri with direct service within 100 miles of Chicago. A new digital delivery system enables electronic delivery receipts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Over Night Delivery Next-day regional delivery service achieving a 97% next-day service rate to over 1,000 destinations, primarily across Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and the St. Louis Metro Missouri area, aimed at B2B shippers needing fast regional freight transit.
• Liftgate Delivery Freight delivery with liftgate capability for shippers or consignees without docks, offered at no additional charge; intended for B2B customers needing delivery to non-dock facilities.
• Freezable (Temperature-Controlled Freight) Temperature-controlled shipping for cold-sensitive products including chemicals, with heated trucks available and freezable products accepted five days a week; aimed at B2B shippers requiring cold-chain freight handling with no extra handling charge.
• Hazmat Transportation Hazardous materials shipping service in which all drivers are certified and hold hazardous endorsements on their Class A CDL licenses, providing B2B shippers with regulatory-compliant transport of hazardous cargo across the Chicago region and partner-carrier reach states.
• Expedited (Same-Day) Delivery Priority shipping service for time-sensitive deliveries, including same-day service when requested by 11:00 AM, for B2B customers requiring premium-speed regional freight transit.
• Volume / Truckload Shipments Full truckload shipment service with same-day pickup and simplified, quote-based pricing for larger B2B freight volumes across the Chicago region and partner-carrier reach destinations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% next day service rate to over 1000 destinations
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

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.

• Partner CarriersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner carriers provide delivery services outside of Chicago Suburban Express's direct service area (beyond 100 miles of Chicago Metro). This extends their geographic coverage to destinations outside their primary operating region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/162700863749563
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-suburban-express-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Chicago Suburban Express