What Schuster does

Schuster Co. is a family-owned U.S. trucking carrier headquartered at 2605 Lincoln Ave. SW in Le Mars, Iowa, founded in 1956 by Orville Schuster as Schuster Grain and expanded over six decades into a multi-modal freight transportation business. The company operates a fleet of more than 400 late-model power units, 900+ refrigerated trailers with deep-freeze capability down to -20°F, 200+ dry van trailers, and 70+ owner operators, providing over-the-road (OTR), Midwest regional, less-than-truckload (LTL), and short-haul "shag" services. It transports approximately 250,000 tons of freight annually for shippers requiring temperature-controlled and standard dry freight, with named enterprise customers including Tyson (food processing) and Hy-Vee (retail grocery), supported by 24/7 dispatch and six regionally-assigned dispatch coordinators covering the U.S. Midwest, South East, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas corridors.

The carrier's underlying technology stack is built on third-party integrations rather than proprietary platforms: real-time satellite tracking via Omnitracs/TK Tracking, fleet management via Samsara, document management via Transflo Mobile+, toll/weigh-station pre-clearance via PrePass Elite, scale certification via Cat Scale Mobile, and EDI integration for enterprise shipper systems. A 10-bay in-house maintenance facility with wash bay and fuel island handles fleet upkeep, and the company holds a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) SATISFACTORY safety rating — the federal operating authorization for interstate motor carriage.

Schuster's revenue model is a B2B freight transportation transaction-fee structure, with service pricing built around per-mile and lane-based rates negotiated with enterprise shippers and brokers; the company employs approximately 565 people, 465 of whom are drivers and owner-operators compensated on cents-per-mile (CPM) with safety/performance bonuses (OTR starting up to $0.67/mile, top pay $0.70/mile) and a Midwest regional option averaging 2,000-2,300 miles per week. Distribution is direct-sales and self-serve: enterprise shipping customers are served via regional dispatch coordinators, while driver candidates apply through the company website, drive4schuster.com, and DriverAppOnline, supported by multi-channel organic social and community programs (Drivers' Education, Teens and Trucks).

Name

Schuster

Legal name

Schuster Co.

Website

https://schusterco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Schuster Co. is a family-owned U.S. trucking carrier headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, operating 400+ power units and 900+ refrigerated trailers to provide temperature-controlled and dry van freight services to enterprise shippers such as Tyson and Hy-Vee, employing approximately 565 people nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refrigerated Freight Transportation

NAICS

Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Trucking (No Local) (4213)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated / Temperature-Controlled Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAH)

Keywords

• Refrigerated trucking services
• Dry van freight
• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Over-the-road transportation
• Regional freight hauling

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Mars

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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: Core revenue from providing refrigerated and dry van trucking transportation services to commercial customers. Services include dedicated lanes, LTL services, and temperature-controlled shipping.
2. Driver Compensation (Cost Structure): Drivers earn based on cents-per-mile (CPM) with safety and performance bonuses. OTR drivers average 2,500-3,000+ miles weekly, Midwest Regional 2,200-2,400 miles weekly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Schuster is a family-owned trucking company providing temperature-controlled and dry van freight transportation across the United States. The company operates a fleet of 400+ late model power units, 900+ refrigerated trailers with deep frozen (-20°F) capability, and 200+ dry vans, delivering approximately 250,000 tons of freight annually. Services include dedicated refrigerated and dry van lanes, LTL shipping, and short-haul shag services supported by 24/7 dispatch and real-time satellite tracking.

Product overview

Schuster is a family-owned trucking company offering a unified transportation service portfolio centered on refrigerated and dry van freight services. The core offerings include refrigerated trucking (900+ trailers meeting deep frozen -20°F specifications), dry van services (200+ trailers), OTR driving (2,500-3,000+ avg miles/week), and Midwest Regional driving (2,200-2,400 avg miles/week). Supporting modules include LTL services, shag services in Sioux City and Le Mars, Iowa, real-time load tracking via Omnitracs/TK Tracking, and 24/7 dispatch services. The company operates a fleet of 400+ late model power units and 70+ owner operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refrigerated Trucking Services
• Dry Van Services
• LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Services
• Shag Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 250,000 tons of freight transported annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• SamsaracoreTechnology or IntegrationSamsara provides integrated driver services and fleet management technology for Schuster operations. Mentioned in both customers page and driver resources as a partner for driver login and fleet tracking.
• Omnitracs / TK TrackingcoreTechnology or IntegrationReal-time satellite tracking system used for fleet management and shipment visibility across Schuster's refrigerated and dry van operations.
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)coreOthersFMCSA awarded Schuster a SATISFACTORY safety rating, indicating adequate safety management controls to meet federal safety fitness standards.
• Le Mars Truck and TrailerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner referenced in customer partnerships section, providing truck and trailer services in the Le Mars, Iowa area.
• Security NationalminorOthersWealth management and financial services partner linked from driver resources page.
• TysonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor customer and partner for refrigerated trucking transportation services, featured in customer logos section.
• Hy-VeemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor retail grocery customer and partner for transportation services, featured in customer logos section.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marten Transport: Publicly traded temperature-controlled truckload carrier with a focus on refrigerated freight. Comparable to Schuster in reefer specialization, customer profile (food/ag shippers), and dedicated/regional lane strategy.
• KLLM Transport Services: Private refrigerated truckload carrier with a similar asset-based reefer focus and food/ag customer base. Closely comparable in fleet mix, regional/long-haul service, and enterprise shipper orientation.
• Hirschbach Motor Lines: Private refrigerated truckload specialist with deep-frozen capability. Directly comparable to Schuster on reefer equipment mix, enterprise shipper focus, and dedicated lane offerings.
• Crete Carrier Corporation: Family-owned refrigerated truckload carrier operating nationally with reefer specialization. Directly comparable to Schuster on business model (private, reefer-focused), customer mix, and driver retention orientation.
• Heartland Express: Public asset-based truckload carrier with dry van and refrigerated capacity. Comparable to Schuster in asset-heavy operating model and enterprise shipper focus, though with a different fleet mix weighting.
• Prime Inc. Private asset-based truckload carrier with significant refrigerated and flatbed divisions. Comparable to Schuster on refrigerated linehaul service and family/private ownership style.

Broad incumbents

• Schneider National: One of the largest US truckload carriers with a sizable refrigerated division serving many of the same enterprise shippers as Schuster. A scaled incumbent operating across TL, intermodal, and logistics.
• Werner Enterprises: Large public truckload carrier with dedicated, refrigerated, and logistics offerings. Comparable on the reefer/dedicated side and competes for the same Tyson/Hy-Vee-class enterprise freight.
• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest US truckload carrier with refrigerated capacity and a national footprint. A scaled incumbent that competes across refrigerated and dry van lanes and for enterprise shipper capacity.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Diversified national carrier with truck, intermodal, and dedicated capacity serving large enterprise shippers. Overlaps with Schuster on dedicated and cold-chain capacity for food/grocery customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPj8oPl_-XKmM61n7hxcBXQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SchusterCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schustercompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/schustercompany

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Schuster