Bti Special Commodities

What Bti Special Commodities does

BTI Special Commodities Inc. is a privately held, family-owned flatbed and step deck freight carrier founded in 1988 in Des Moines, Iowa, operating across the lower 48 states under owner Tom Trusty. The company transports specialized freight — oversized pre-cast concrete, metal beams, steel products, building materials, agricultural and military equipment, and other industrial cargo — for manufacturers, construction companies, steel suppliers, and industrial businesses. Its fleet combines company-owned Peterbilt 379 and Kenworth W900L tractors with Ravens and Wilson flatbed trailers, supplemented by a network of independent contractors; in-cab technology is limited to standard fleet telematics including Qualcomm communication, PrePass Plus toll/scale bypass, Cat-ID fuel management, and ELD compliance hardware. BTI's only stated technology differentiator is an integrated operations model in which the same person both books and dispatches each shipment, reducing communication friction for shippers.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through transaction-based freight fees, with pricing established via quote-based rate requests routed through three regional sales representatives (West, Midwest, East Coast) or through the public load-postings board on the company website. Standard pay terms for shippers are net 30 days from paperwork receipt. Driver compensation is publicly disclosed: company drivers receive 27–30% of line haul revenue plus per-mile bonuses and a benefits package (Wellmark-BCBS medical, 401K up to 3% match, paid vacation); independent contractors receive 79% of revenue plus 100% of accessorials with a guaranteed $0.82 per book mile. BTI pursues dedicated shipping partnerships for recurring enterprise shippers alongside one-time LTL and oversized project loads, with sample posted rates ranging from roughly $1,000 to $5,000 per load depending on lane and weight.

In 2007 BTI expanded its service portfolio by establishing BTI Logistics as a wholly owned subsidiary led by VP Kyle Trusty, broadening equipment options to include drop deck and step deck trailers and supporting smaller carriers that larger national brokers decline to service. Leadership is concentrated in long-tenured family and staff: Tom Trusty (Owner), Teri Netusil (President, joined 1992), John Dickson (Operations, joined 1989), Amy Michael (A/P and Benefits, joined 1994), and Kyle Trusty (VP BTI Logistics). The company has earned two Iowa Motor Truck Association Grand Champion Fleet Safety Awards (1997 and 2007) and maintains an extraordinary driver safety record of 21+ Million Mile, 9 Two Million Mile, and 1 Three Million Mile drivers, which functions as its primary customer-facing credential.

Name

Bti Special Commodities

Legal name

BTI Special Commodities Inc.

Website

https://btisci.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BTI Special Commodities is a privately held, family-owned Des Moines-based flatbed and step deck freight carrier, operating across the lower 48 states since 1988 to transport specialized industrial cargo for manufacturers, construction companies, steel suppliers, and industrial businesses, supported by subsidiary BTI Logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flatbed Freight Transportation Services

NAICS

Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (48423), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (484230)

akta.pro primary industry

Flatbed & Open-Deck TL Carriers (TLADADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

LTL Flatbed / Open-Deck & Over-Dimensional LTL Carriers (TLADAEAM)

Keywords

• Flatbed freight transportation
• Step deck trucking
• Specialized freight shipping
• LTL truckload shipping
• Oversized load hauling

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: BTI generates revenue through freight transportation fees for flatbed, step deck, and specialized freight shipping services across the lower 48 states. Services include dedicated shipping partnerships, one-time LTL freight, and oversized loads. The company operates a mix of company-owned Peterbilts and independent contractor fleets.
2. Logistics Services (BTI Logistics subsidiary): BTI Logistics, a subsidiary established in 2007, provides additional logistics services including flatbed trailers, drop deck trailers, step deck trailers, LTL shipping, and full truckload shipments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BTI Special Commodities provides flatbed, step deck, and specialized freight transportation services across the lower 48 states for manufacturers, construction companies, steel suppliers, and industrial businesses. The company transports oversized equipment, building materials, metal beams, steel products, and LTL freight using a fleet of company-owned Peterbilts and a network of independent contractors. Its subsidiary BTI Logistics offers expanded equipment options including drop deck and step deck trailers, LTL shipping, and full truckload shipments.

Product overview

BTI Special Commodities is a 48-state flatbed and step deck freight transportation company founded in 1988, based in Des Moines, Iowa. The company operates its core freight transportation services under the BTI Special Commodities brand, while its subsidiary BTI Logistics provides expanded logistics solutions including LTL shipping and specialized equipment options. Together, these offerings provide comprehensive freight movement capabilities across the lower 48 states, from standard flatbed loads to oversized project cargo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BTI Special Commodities Freight Transportation 48-state flatbed and step deck freight transportation services for manufacturers, construction companies, steel suppliers, and industrial businesses, offering specialized freight handling for oversized equipment, building materials, metal beams, steel, lumber, pre-cast concrete, and military/agricultural equipment; includes dedicated shipping partnerships, one-time LTL freight, and oversized loads delivered via company-owned Peterbilts and independent contractor network.
• BTI Logistics Subsidiary logistics company providing flatbed trailers, drop deck trailers, step deck trailers, less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping, and full truckload shipment services. Supports new and smaller carriers and accommodates unique freight requirements from standard LTL to oversized project cargo.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11.7% fewer total crashes for ELD-equipped trucks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BTI LogisticscoreOthers · 1 January 2007BTI Logistics is a subsidiary of BTI Special Commodities established in 2007 to provide expanded logistics services including flatbed trailers, drop deck trailers, step deck trailers, LTL shipping, and full truckload shipments. BTI Logistics supports new and smaller carriers while many national brokers only work with large fleets. Led by Vice President Kyle Trusty.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Landstar System: Asset-light truckload and flatbed services provider using a non-asset owner-operator model. Operates with a similar independent-contractor-heavy approach to BTI and competes head-to-head for flatbed and specialized freight.
• Bennett Motor Express: Family-owned flatbed and specialized heavy-haul carrier with a similar Midwest operating base and focus on industrial freight. Closely mirrors BTI's flatbed/specialized mix and customer profile.
• Werner Enterprises: One of the largest US truckload carriers with a dedicated flatbed/specialized freight division. Operates a mixed company-driver and independent contractor model across all 48 states, directly comparable to BTI's core flatbed business at significantly larger scale.
• TMC Transportation: Private flatbed truckload carrier headquartered in the Midwest serving customers nationwide. Comparable to BTI in equipment (flatbed/step deck), customer mix (industrial/manufacturing), and asset-based operating model.
• Melton Truck Lines: Privately held flatbed/specialized carrier focused on flatbed transportation across the US. Operates a similar asset-based model serving industrial and construction customers, making it one of the closest scale-and-model comparables to BTI.
• Roehl Transport: Private flatbed carrier with strong safety culture, dedicated runs, and a Midwest operating presence. Closely comparable to BTI on equipment mix, safety-focused culture, and driver-recruitment approach.

Broad incumbents

• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest US truckload carrier with significant flatbed capacity through its Knight Transportation heritage. Represents a scaled incumbent alternative to BTI for shippers consolidating carrier spend.
• Schneider National: Large multi-modal carrier with a substantial flatbed/intermodal division serving industrial customers nationally. Overlaps with BTI in flatbed capacity and industrial shipper relationships, though operates at materially larger scale with broader service portfolio.
• Daseke: Public holding company aggregating flatbed, specialized, and heavy-haul carriers across North America. Larger and broader portfolio than BTI, but competes in the same flatbed/specialized freight segment serving industrial and construction customers.
• Heartland Express: Public truckload carrier with a dedicated flatbed/specialized freight subsidiary. Competes in the same long-haul flatbed market as BTI, particularly for irregular route and specialized industrial freight.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Bti-Special-Commodities/159216557442301
• Xx.com/btilogisticsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bti-special-commodities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Bti Special Commodities