Sterling Transportation

What Sterling Transportation does

Sterling Transportation Inc. is a U.S. freight brokerage and logistics provider founded in 1979, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company operates as a non-asset 3PL, connecting shippers with a network of independent carriers and its own fleet, and serves verticals including food & beverage (primarily temperature-controlled cargo), aerospace, technology, pharmaceutical, industrial, and medical equipment. Its service portfolio spans Full Truckload, Temperature Controlled, Expedited Cargo, Freight Forwarding, LTL, Drayage, Open Deck, and Drop Trailer, with reported 99% on-time performance, 100% tender acceptance, and zero claims for over a decade.

The company's technology foundation is a cloud-first Transportation Management System (TMS) that delivers real-time tracking and visibility, including a differentiated pallet-level sensor capability that monitors temperature, light, shock, and other conditions. Sterling Dynamic is a contract pricing mechanism that allows mid-term rate adjustments via formula, smoothing exposure to freight cycle volatility. The firm also offers a 2-day quick-pay option to carriers at a 2% fee, positioned as a carrier-friendly onboarding lever via the highway.com digital sign-up portal.

Sterling monetizes primarily through transaction-based brokerage spreads on freight arrangements and ancillary fees on quick-pay processing. Shippers are acquired through direct sales (phone and website contact forms), while carriers are recruited via digital channels and industry partnerships. The company is privately held, with no disclosed outside investors, no funding rounds, and operates exclusively in the United States.

Name

Sterling Transportation

Legal name

Sterling Transportation Inc.

Website

https://sterlingtransportationinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sterling Transportation is a U.S. freight brokerage founded in 1979 that arranges FTL, LTL, refrigerated, drayage, and specialized transport for shippers in food & beverage, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and industrial verticals via a cloud TMS and an exclusive carrier network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Transportation & Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Truckload (TL) Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers (TLADADAA), Carrier TMS (Trucking Dispatch & Back-Office) (TLAEAAAC), Contract & Tariff Management (Carrier Contracts, Accessorials, Lane/Zone Rates) (TLAEAIAB), Carrier Compliance & Onboarding for Procurement (Insurance, W-9, Authority, SLAs) (TLAEAIAE)

Keywords

• Freight brokerage services
• Temperature-controlled shipping
• Transportation management systems
• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Freight forwarding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Redmond, Oregon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Brokerage: Sterling acts as a freight broker connecting shippers with carriers, earning transaction-based fees for arranging transportation of freight including FTL, LTL, temperature-controlled, and specialized freight
2. Quick Pay Processing Fees: Carriers can opt for 2-day quick pay for a 2% fee, providing additional revenue stream from carrier services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sterling Transportation is a freight brokerage and logistics provider connecting shippers with a carrier network to move freight across the United States. The company offers full over-the-road solutions including Full Truckload (FTL), Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), temperature-controlled/refrigerated, expedited, drayage, open deck, drop trailer, and international freight forwarding services. Operations are unified by a proprietary cloud-based Transportation Management System (TMS) that provides real-time track-and-trace visibility, pallet-level sensor monitoring, and dynamic contract pricing.

Product overview

Sterling Transportation offers a suite of freight transportation and logistics services unified by its proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS). The core services portfolio includes Full Truckload (FTL), Temperature Controlled/refrigerated shipping, Expedited Cargo, Freight Forwarding, LTL, Drayage, Open Deck, and Drop Trailer services. The TMS platform provides stakeholders with real-time visibility and tracking capabilities, while Sterling Dynamic offers dynamic contract pricing. The company positions itself as a logistics problem solver with technology-driven solutions since 1979.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Truckload (FTL) Direct shipping service for large or high-priority loads with no stops or transfers, offering fast delivery for enterprise shippers.
• Temperature Controlled Shipping Refrigerated and frozen freight shipping with regulatory compliance and pallet-level sensor technology for perishable goods in food & beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
• Expedited Cargo Time-sensitive freight delivery using Sterling assets and broad carrier network to meet demanding speed requirements.
• Freight Forwarding International shipment handling covering documentation, customs, and complete logistics coordination for cross-border freight.
• LTL (Less Than Truckload) Less-than-truckload shipping utilizing regional, super-regional, and national carriers at competitive rates for smaller freight shipments.
• Drayage Port-based first mile services handling cargo across all major ports for reliable intermodal container transport.
• Open Deck Oversized, heavy, or oddly shaped freight transport using flatbeds, step decks, and other open deck equipment.
• Drop Trailer Trailer placement service allowing customers to load or unload at their own pace, suitable for high-volume or time-sensitive freight.
• Shipment Tracking (Track & Trace) Real-time track and trace portal enabling shippers and carriers to monitor shipment status and freight visibility through the Sterling TMS.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% on-time pick-up and delivery rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• INROADScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINROADS is the nation's largest non-profit feeder of diverse talent incubated in underrepresented communities into for-profit corporations. Sterling Transportation has formed a partnership with INROADS to break barriers and expand access to internships and employment opportunities in the supply chain and logistics fields. The partnership reflects Sterling's commitment to building a diverse, extraordinarily well-run company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RXO: Pure-play freight brokerage spun off from XPO, arranging truckload, last-mile and managed transportation for shippers; same asset-light broker model Sterling operates under.
• Hub Group: Intermodal and truckload brokerage serving shippers with managed transportation and dedicated services; overlapping customer base and brokerage-plus-asset model relevant to Sterling's expansion path.
• Echo Global Logistics: Technology-driven freight brokerage arranging truckload and less-than-truckload transportation across modes; similar asset-light broker model and target shipper base.
• CH Robinson Worldwide: North America's largest freight broker arranging truckload and less-than-truckload transportation for shippers across food, industrial and consumer verticals; directly comparable business model to Sterling with far broader scale.
• Landstar System: Asset-light freight transportation network using independent agents and owner-operators; closest structural analogue to Sterling's independent-carrier-driven model.
• Coyote Logistics: Asset-light truckload brokerage owned by UPS arranging dry van, refrigerated and flatbed freight; comparable asset-light model with similar vertical exposure to food and industrial shippers.

Emerging players

• Turvo: Cloud-based TMS and collaboration platform purpose-built for freight brokers and 3PLs; comparable technology layer to Sterling's in-house TMS, with potential to be a substitute or future partner.

Broad incumbents

• Werner Enterprises: Large truckload carrier with a dedicated and brokerage segment; comparable temperature-controlled and dry van service lines to Sterling's, but at materially greater scale and asset intensity.
• Schneider National: Diversified truckload, intermodal and logistics provider with brokered capacity; large incumbent serving the same general freight, refrigerated and industrial shippers Sterling targets.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Largest U.S. intermodal carrier with a sizable ICS brokerage segment and dedicated contract services; broad incumbent operating across all the verticals Sterling serves, with substantially greater scale and digital tools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterling-transportation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sterling Transportation