AKITA EQUIPMENT AND AUTO TRANSPORT

What AKITA EQUIPMENT AND AUTO TRANSPORT does

Akita Equipment and Auto Transport is a family-owned trucking and freight transportation company founded in 2007 and headquartered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The company operates a fleet of over 60 modern trucks equipped with satellite tracking, real-time GPS location visibility, Bluetooth communication, and complete air-ride suspension systems. Service breadth spans less-than-truckload (LTL) freight for shipments 150–15,000 lbs, full load and hot-shot delivery, oversized/over-dimensional heavy haul using step decks, double drops, RGNs, and multi-axle trailers, vehicle transport for cars/trucks/motorcycles/heavy equipment, temperature-controlled reefers, dry vans, roll-tite trailers, and hazardous materials transport with TDG- and WHIMIS-trained drivers. The company also operates boom truck crane services (19-ton, 26-ton, and 35-ton units with up to 100-foot reach) and sells used trailers and equipment.

The business holds Canada/U.S. Bonded carrier status, C-TPAT certification, and C.S.A. approval, positioning it for efficient cross-border operations supported by cross-docking facilities in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Coverage extends coast-to-coast across Canada (St. John's, NL to Vancouver, BC) and into all lower-48 U.S. states plus Alaska. Specialized capabilities include multi-axle dual-lane dolly transports, dropdeck and double-dropdeck extendable trailers, jeep dollies, and escort vehicles for oversize loads. The company claims a 99% on-time delivery rate for full load shipments, supported by a 24/7 dispatch operation.

Commercially, Akita operates a sales-led B2B model with quote-based transaction pricing across multiple service tiers. Customers reach the company through a toll-free line, a local line, a 24-hour service line, email, or an online quote request form. GTM is regional/horizontal across freight-requiring businesses, with strong positioning in Newfoundland where it is recognized as a leader in oversized/over-dimensional freight. Marketing combines a service-focused website, a Facebook page, and notable community engagement including a Cancer Care Foundation partnership that has raised $180,000+ and an annual Teddy Bear Convoy for Janeway Children's Hospital. The company is privately held under Howlett family ownership, led by Chris Howlett (President/Owner), with no external investors, parent company, or institutional ownership indicated in available materials.

Name

AKITA EQUIPMENT AND AUTO TRANSPORT

Legal name

Akita Equipment and Auto Transport

Website

https://akitaequipment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family-owned Newfoundland trucking company operating a 60+ truck fleet, providing LTL, full load, oversized heavy-haul, auto transport, cross-border Canada-U.S. freight, and boom truck crane services across Canada and the lower 48 states plus Alaska.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trucking and Freight Transportation Services

NAICS

Specialized Freight Trucking (4842), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (48423), General Freight Trucking (4841)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Heavy Haul / Oversize / Specialized Equipment TL Carriers (TLADADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Trailer & Heavy Transport Equipment Providers (SPMT, Lowboy, Multi-Axle) (TLADAGAM), Multi-Vehicle / Fleet Auto Transport (HSAKAFAE)

Keywords

• Freight transportation services
• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Auto transport services
• Over-dimensional heavy haul
• Cross-border trucking

Headquarters

HQ city

St. John's

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: Transaction-based transportation services including LTL (less-than-truckload), full load, and hot-shot freight services. LTL covers palletized or loose shipments weighing 150 lbs to 15,000 lbs. Full load services for shipments with 10+ pallets or high-risk packages.
2. Auto Transport: Vehicle transport services for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and heavy equipment to destinations in Canada or the USA.
3. Specialized Equipment Services: Boom truck crane services available for short-term and long-term rental, including 35-ton boom truck for loading freight, construction jobs, and heavy object relocation.
4. Equipment Sales: Sale of used trailers and equipment including Utility, Vanguard, Wabash, and Great Dane trailers ranging from 2002 to 2025 model years.
5. Cross-Border Shipping: Canada and USA bonded shipping services for cross-border freight with C-TPAT certification, handling LTL, full loads, vehicle transport, and oversized shipments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Akita Equipment and Auto Transport is a family-owned trucking company providing freight transportation services across Canada and the United States. The company offers LTL, full load, and hot-shot shipping for palletized and loose cargo (150–15,000 lbs); specialized over-dimensional heavy haul using RGNs, double drops, and multi-axle trailers; auto transport for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and heavy equipment; temperature-controlled reefers, dry vans, and roll-tites; hazardous materials shipping; and boom truck crane services (19-ton, 26-ton, and 35-ton rentals). The company also sells used trailers and equipment.

Product overview

Akita Equipment and Auto Transport operates as a family-owned trucking company offering a comprehensive suite of freight transportation services. The core portfolio includes vehicle/auto transport for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and heavy equipment; LTL (less-than-load), full load, and hot-shot freight services; over-dimensional and oversized heavy haul transport using specialized equipment including step decks, double drops, and multi-axle trailers; and boom truck crane services for loading and relocation. Additional offerings include temperature-controlled reefers, dry vans, and roll-tite trailers for cargo protection, hazardous freight transportation with proper certifications, and cross-border Canada and USA shipping. The company also provides boom truck rental options for short and long-term needs. The service architecture is organized around specialized equipment types and shipping routes, with cross-docking facilities in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick supporting cross-border operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LTL, Full Load & Hot Shot Services Comprehensive freight transportation for less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments weighing 150 lbs to 15,000 lbs, full load shipments (10+ pallets or high-risk/time-sensitive packages) with a 99% on-time delivery rate, and hot-shot service for urgent deliveries across Canada and the United States.
• Auto Transport Vehicle transport service safely moving cars, trucks, motorcycles, and heavy equipment to destinations across Canada and the United States.
• Over-Dimensional Oversized Freight Specialized transport for complex, oversized, and heavy haul freight using multi-axle configurations, dual lane dolly transports, dropdeck, double dropdeck extendable, stepdecks, and flatbed equipment.
• Boom Truck Crane Services Crane services using 26-ton and 19-ton boom trucks with reach up to 100 feet plus 4-ton tow-truck boom assist, available throughout St. John's and nearby communities for loading freight, construction jobs, and heavy object relocation.
• Canada & USA Shipping Cross-border freight shipping with coast-to-coast coverage across Canada and all points in the United States including Alaska and the lower 48 states, leveraging Canada and U.S. bonded carrier status and C-TPAT certification.
• Reefers / Temp-Controlled Trailers Temperature-controlled trailer fleet for reliable delivery of goods sensitive to specific temperature and moisture conditions.
• Dry Vans Enclosed trailer service protecting cargo from the elements for goods that do not require refrigeration but need enclosed transport.
• Roll-Tites Custom-built roll-tite trailers offering secure cargo protection from environmental elements using a roll tarp system.
• Transportation of Hazardous Freight Transportation of dangerous goods with drivers trained in Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) and WHIMIS as part of orientation.
• Boom Truck Rental Short-term and long-term rental of a 35-ton boom truck available for various job sizes, from small projects to extended-term construction needs.
• Used Trailer and Equipment Sales Sale of used trailers and equipment including Utility, Vanguard, Wabash, and Great Dane trailers ranging from 2002 to 2025 model years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% on-time delivery rate for full load shipments
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cancer Care FoundationminorOthersCommunity partnership for cancer awareness. Akita wrapped a truck with Cervical Cancer colors traveling across North America with QR code directing to Cancer Care Foundation website for donations. Company hosts annual 'Oh, What a Night!' fundraiser that has raised over $180,000 for cancer care services.
• Janeway Children's HospitalminorOthersAnnual Teddy Bear Convoy event where all trucks come together and raise money for the Janeway. Akita matches every dollar raised by staff.
• Hickman Truck Centre of St. John'sminorOthersGifted Amy Howlett with a model cancer awareness truck to increase fundraising awareness. Model truck hosted by local businesses each Thursday through the #hostthetruck program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Schneider National: Major US TL, intermodal, and logistics provider with extensive cross-border Canada-US operations. Competes for the same cross-border freight Akita serves, especially on lanes originating in Eastern Canada.
• TFI International: One of Canada's largest transportation and logistics conglomerates with LTL, TL, logistics, and package delivery divisions. Operates broadly in the same freight space as Akita but at vastly greater scale across North America.
• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest truckload carrier in the US with broad TL, LTL, and logistics services. Operates in the same freight markets as Akita but at national scale with significantly greater resources.

Direct peers

• Manitoulin Transport: Canadian specialized freight and LTL carrier with cross-border capabilities and a wide trailer fleet including temperature-controlled and flatbed equipment. Closely comparable service mix to Akita including LTL, TL, and specialized freight.
• Mullen Group: Diversified Canadian trucking and logistics provider with extensive LTL, TL, and specialized freight operations across Western and Eastern Canada. Directly comparable to Akita's diversified service model and cross-Canada footprint.
• Montway Auto Transport: North American vehicle transport specialist moving cars, trucks, motorcycles, and heavy equipment across the US and Canada. Direct peer to Akita's Auto Transport service line.
• Bennett Motor Express: US heavy-haul and specialized transportation carrier with expertise in oversized and over-dimensional freight. Comparable to Akita's over-dimensional heavy haul service line and specialty equipment fleet.
• Challenger Motor Freight: Ontario-based TL and LTL carrier with significant cross-border Canada-US operations and a comparable mix of general freight, hazmat, and specialized equipment. Strong competitor on Akita's Ontario-US lanes.
• Maritime-Ontario Freight Lines: Atlantic Canada to Ontario LTL freight carrier operating a similar lane structure to Akita between the Maritime provinces and central Canada. Direct competitor for the same cross-regional shipper base.
• Day & Ross: Atlantic Canada-based LTL and freight carrier serving the same Eastern Canadian and US cross-border lanes as Akita. Strong direct competitor for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland freight flows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Akita-Equipment-323178861209240
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akita-equipment-and-auto-transport

Compliance2 records

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 AKITA EQUIPMENT AND AUTO TRANSPORT