TLS

What TLS does

TLS (legal name: Transportation and Logistical Services, Inc.) is a privately held freight brokerage founded in April 2003 and headquartered in Hoover, Alabama with an operational office in Birmingham, AL and a sales office in Dallas, TX. The company arranges freight transportation by matching shippers with a network of thousands of pre-screened carriers across the continental United States and Canada, operating under FMCSA docket MC-454191. Its service portfolio spans flatbed, dry van, LTL/partial, over-dimensional, expedited, refrigerated, and international freight for clients ranging from small and mid-sized businesses through Fortune 500 organizations. In May 2012, the company executed a strategic pivot from an asset-based 15-truck fleet to a pure capital-light brokerage model, after which it scaled to Inc. 5000 recognition (#2856 in 2019 with 131% three-year revenue growth) and Top 30 Growing Company recognition in 2020.

TLS generates revenue through transaction fees on freight it brokers — including transportation charges, fuel, and accessorial charges for detention, driver assistance, tarping, out-of-route miles, and layovers. Pricing is quote-based and determined per shipment by transportation type, transit time, and special requirements; billing is monthly with Net 30 terms and an optional 3% (or $25 minimum) Quick Pay program offering carrier payment within 48 hours. Its go-to-market is sales-led through dedicated Account Executives based in Birmingham, AL and Dallas, TX, supported by inside sales teams. Core operations run on the third-party McLeod Transportation Management System, with TLS's proprietary TLSDash online logistics portal providing 24/7 carrier self-service for load access, payment status, and document upload, alongside integrated third-party visibility providers for real-time shipment tracking.

The company is founder-led under President and CEO Jason King, with a stated POD/mentorship structure leveraging over 125 years of collective team experience. It has been recognized as a 2023 Best Places to Work finalist by the Birmingham Business Journal and holds affiliations including Better Business Bureau, American Trucking Associations (ATA), McLeod, and TIA, with a Diamond Broker designation. No external funding, acquisitions, or institutional investors are disclosed in the available data.

Name

TLS

Legal name

Transportation and Logistical Services, Inc.

Website

https://tlsincorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TLS is a privately held freight brokerage founded in 2003 and headquartered in Hoover, Alabama. It matches shippers ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to Fortune 500 organizations with a network of thousands of pre-screened carriers across the continental US and Canada, arranging full truckload, LTL, flatbed, refrigerated, expedited, over-dimensional, and international freight via the McLeod TMS and proprietary TLSDash portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Brokerage Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Truckload (TL) Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAB)

Keywords

• Freight brokerage services
• Truckload transportation
• Logistics management
• Carrier network services
• Supply chain solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Brokerage Services: TLS operates as a freight broker registered with the FMCSA (docket MC-454191), arranging transportation of freight by contracting with various freight carriers. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on shipments arranged, including transportation charges, fuel, and accessorial charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TLS arranges freight transportation by matching shippers with pre-screened carriers from a network spanning the continental US and Canada, handling flatbed, dry van, LTL/partial, over-dimensional, expedited, refrigerated, and international shipments. Brokers coordinate pickup, monitor progress, and handle paperwork end-to-end, supported by a proprietary TLSDash carrier portal and McLeod TMS for real-time visibility, load posting, and billing. The company also offers a Quick Pay program that delivers carrier payment within 48 hours for a 3% fee or $25 minimum.

Product overview

TLS is a freight brokerage company offering a single unified platform for arranging freight transportation through a network of vetted carriers. The core offering is freight brokerage services, supported by the Carrier Portal (TLSDash) online logistics portal. TLS provides multiple equipment-specific service options including Flatbed, Dry Van, LTL/Partial, Over Dimensional, Expedited, Refrigerated, and International freight services. The company also offers a Quick Pay add-on program for accelerated carrier payments. Services are delivered through TLS's transportation management system with real-time visibility tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freight Brokerage Services Core freight brokerage arranging transportation of goods through a network of vetted carriers, matching shippers with appropriate carriers and managing logistics across multiple equipment types for SMBs through Fortune 500 organizations.
• Carrier Portal (TLSDash)

Quantifiable outcome

• 131% revenue growth over three years (2016-2019)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• McLeod SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationMcLeod Software provides the Transportation Management System (TMS) platform powering TLS's logistics operations. TLS uses McLeod's technology for load management, carrier coordination, and billing. The relationship enables TLS's digital platform capabilities including the TLSDash online portal and 24/7 carrier access.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RXO: Pure-play asset-light freight brokerage spun off from XPO, with a tech-forward platform (RXO Connect, Coyote acquisition). Closely aligned with TLS as a non-asset broker competing for truckload freight across the same customer base.
• Hub Group: Asset-light intermodal and logistics services company with truckload brokerage as a core growth pillar. Directly comparable to TLS in the brokerage segment, particularly given Hub Group's mix of contracted and spot freight.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide: The largest US truckload freight broker with North American Non-Asset and Global Forwarding operations. Directly comparable to TLS as a multi-mode, non-asset broker serving SMB through enterprise shippers, with a similarly broad carrier network model.
• Landstar System: Asset-light freight transportation network using BCO agents and owner-operators to arrange truckload services. Highly comparable to TLS's non-asset brokerage model with a similar carrier-sourced execution model and SMB-to-enterprise customer mix.
• Echo Global Logistics: Tech-enabled non-asset freight broker offering truckload, LTL, and intermodal across North America. Comparable to TLS in asset-light model, multi-modal service offering, and reliance on TMS-driven carrier coordination.

Broad incumbents

• XPO Logistics: Major North American LTL and brokerage operator with a substantial truckload brokerage business. Overlaps with TLS in brokerage, particularly for LTL/partial and truckload freight, but is a much larger, multi-segment incumbent.
• Schneider National: Asset-based truckload carrier with a sizable logistics (brokerage) segment serving enterprise shippers. Comparable to TLS in brokerage execution and multi-mode services, though Schneider's owned-asset base and scale materially exceed TLS's footprint.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Integrated transportation and delivery services provider with truckload brokerage (J.B. Hunt 360) alongside asset-based capacity. Comparable to TLS in brokerage services and digital load matching, with vastly greater scale and intermodal reach.
• Coyote Logistics: UPS-owned asset-based truckload brokerage with a digitally enabled carrier network. Competes directly with TLS for truckload freight and brings UPS scale, multimodal integration, and digital capacity that exceed TLS's current platform capabilities.

Emerging players

• Uber Freight: Digital freight marketplace and brokerage powered by Uber's technology platform. Comparable to TLS in arranging truckload capacity but competes on digital UX, instant pricing, and shipper-direct technology rather than relationship-led service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TLSincorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transportation-and-logistical-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 TLS