What Midnight Express does

Midnight Express & Cartage Ltd. is a family-owned Canadian transportation and logistics company founded in 1984 in Mississauga, Ontario, by four brothers (Gary, Grant, Graham, and Glenn) who continue to operate the business. The company provides less-than-truckload (LTL), full-truckload (FTL), same-day direct, white glove, and cross-border delivery services, primarily serving manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and GTA-based businesses with time-sensitive or specialized freight requirements. It is a Canada Bonded Carrier and Canadian Hazmat Certified, supporting transport of dangerous goods and bonded cross-border cargo.

The company operates a diverse fleet of more than 40 vehicles ranging from cargo vans to 53-foot trailers, including specialty equipment such as roll-tite, air ride, lift gate, and flatbed trucks. Its technology stack centers on the DeliverySuite online portal — a customer-facing platform that allows direct order entry into the dispatch system, GPS-based real-time shipment tracking, and automated proof-of-pickup and proof-of-delivery notifications by email. Regulatory and operational credentials include PARS/PAPS, FDA, and ACI manifest handling for US-bound freight and 24/7 dispatch availability.

Midnight Express generates revenue through transaction-based fees for transportation services, with pricing provided via quote-based engagement through logistics specialists and self-serve online ordering for existing customers. Fuel surcharges (39% local, 40% USA) are disclosed. The go-to-market combines sales-led engagement (logistics specialists quoting each shipment) with a direct-to-customer self-serve portal, targeting enterprise and mid-market shippers across the Greater Toronto Area and the Buffalo, NY cross-border corridor.

Name

Midnight Express

Legal name

Midnight Express & Cartage Ltd.

Website

https://midnightexpress.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Midnight Express & Cartage Ltd. is a family-owned Canadian transportation and logistics company founded in 1984 in Mississauga, Ontario, providing LTL, FTL, same-day, white glove, and cross-border delivery services to manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and GTA shippers via a 40-vehicle fleet and online portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Transportation and Logistics Services

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (4922), Couriers and Messengers (492)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

LTL High-Value / Secure Freight Carriers (TLADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

White-Glove LTL (Inside Delivery, Assembly, Install) (TLADAEAH), International Express (Time-Definite Cross-Border) (TLAAABAB), Oversize/Heavy Express & White-Glove Time-Definite (TLAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Full-truckload freight
• Cross-border trucking
• Same-day delivery
• White glove transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transportation and Logistics Services: Fee-for-service transportation and logistics services including local cartage, cross-border deliveries, same-day direct, white glove service, and specialty services. Revenue is transaction-based based on service type, distance, weight, and special requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Midnight Express is a transportation and logistics carrier offering GTA local pick-up and delivery, cross-border LTL/FTL shipments between Canada and the USA (Buffalo, NY), same-day direct expedited service, and white glove specialized handling. It operates a 40+ vehicle fleet ranging from cargo vans to 53-foot trailers and supports customers with customs documentation (PARS/PAPS, FDA, ACI), hazmat transport, and bonded goods transfer. A proprietary DeliverySuite online portal allows customers to place orders, track shipments, and receive automatic proof of pickup and delivery notifications.

Product overview

Midnight Express offers a transportation and logistics platform comprising core delivery services and a proprietary Online Portal system called DeliverySuite. The core service portfolio includes GTA Pick-Up and Delivery (with Regular, Rush, Direct Drive, and After Hours tiers), Cross Border Deliveries (LTL, FTL, Hot Shot, Canada Bonded), Same Day Direct, and White Glove Service with specialty options including Hazmat, pharmaceuticals, and flat bed/roll-tite capabilities. The fleet includes diverse equipment types (cargo vans, straight trucks, flatbed trucks, dry vans, roll-tite trailers, air ride, and lift gate vehicles). The DeliverySuite Online Portal provides customers with online order entry, real-time shipment tracking, and automatic POP/POD email notifications. This is a single unified logistics platform rather than a modular architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GTA Pick-Up and Delivery Core same-day and scheduled delivery service in the Greater Toronto Area offered with multiple service tiers including Regular, Rush, Direct Drive, and After Hours options, for businesses needing local cartage within the GTA.
• Cross Border Deliveries International freight services handling LTL (Less Than Truckload), FTL (Full Truckload), EUV/Hot Shot urgent deliveries, and Canada Bonded cargo with customs clearance capabilities, including PARS/PAPS, FDA, and ACI manifests on daily runs to Buffalo, NY and surrounding USA.
• Same Day Direct Time-sensitive shipment pickup and direct delivery service targeting industry-leading speed for urgent freight, with the carrier picking up and delivering directly to the destination in the fastest and safest way possible.
• White Glove Service Professional delivery service with careful handling for sensitive items including appliances and fragile goods, featuring 2-man delivery teams trained in attention to detail and safety, for customers needing white glove residential or business deliveries.
• DeliverySuite Online Portal Secure customer-facing web portal that enables existing customers to place orders directly into the dispatch system, track shipments in real time, and receive automatic proof of pickup and proof of delivery email notifications, eliminating the need for phone calls or emails.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Canpar Express: Canada-wide parcel and LTL carrier with strong small-parcel and time-sensitive delivery capabilities. Competes with Midnight Express on same-day and expedited GTA shipments.
• Day & Ross Freight: One of Canada's largest LTL carriers with cross-border US service, direct overlap with Midnight Express's LTL/FTL and cross-border GTA offerings. Comparable in product mix with significantly larger scale.
• TForce Freight (formerly UPS Freight Canada): Major Canadian LTL carrier offering LTL, FTL, and cross-border services across the GTA. Direct competitor on the same LTL and cross-border lanes Midnight Express serves.
• Challenger Motor Freight: Cambridge, Ontario-based LTL and cross-border carrier with similar GTA-origin footprint and service portfolio. Operates comparable flatbed, dry van, and expedited services.
• Kestrel Express (formerly PJAX / XPO LTL): LTL and time-critical carrier serving Canada-US cross-border lanes, including GTA. Directly competes on expedited and LTL freight services.

Broad incumbents

• Purolator: Canada's largest domestic courier with broad LTL, parcel, and cross-border offerings. Overlaps with Midnight Express in expedited GTA and US-bound freight but operates much broader portfolio.
• FedEx Freight: One of North America's largest LTL carriers serving GTA and Canada-US cross-border. Competes at the higher-volume end of the same lanes but lacks Midnight Express's white-glove and hazmat specialization.

Emerging players

• Velocity Express / Velocity Vehicle Group: Same-day and time-critical delivery specialist operating in cross-border and metropolitan markets. Comparable niche focus on expedited, white-glove, and secure handling.

Regional players

• J&R Hall Transport: Family-run Ontario-based cross-border LTL carrier with similar GTA and US Midwest service area. Comparable in size, history, and family-ownership structure.
• Atlas Freight Systems: Regional Canadian carrier with strong Ontario and cross-border presence. Closely comparable to Midnight Express in regional focus and LTL offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/category/Cargo---Freight-Company/Midnight-Express-Cartage-Ltd-562044240633310
• Xx.com/mdnightexpress

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Midnight Express