Aetna Freight Lines, Inc.

What Aetna Freight Lines, Inc. does

DDS Solutions is an asset-based freight carrier and licensed freight brokerage headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The company operates a diversified fleet of 2,886 trailers spanning dry van, flatbed, Conestoga flatbed, step deck, double drop and RGN, refrigerated, wind energy-specific, and stretch deck/pole configurations, and supplements this owned capacity with access to over 39,000 vetted carriers through its brokerage arm. Services span full truckload shipping at FAK rates, regional and long-haul OTR transport throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Canada, plus specialized transport for wind energy components, overdimensional loads, intermodal, air freight, and expedited shipments. Technology infrastructure is anchored by MacroPoint for real-time load tracking, ETA prediction, automated alerts, messaging, and TMS integration, with manual operator intervention available when automated tracking misreports positions. The company bundles 24/7 phone support, claims handling via additional broker insurance and carrier policy certificates, quarterly performance reporting, and acceptance/timestamped metrics into the core shipper relationship.

The go-to-market motion is sales-led, targeting enterprise and mid-market shippers who prioritize service consistency over lowest price. Lead capture runs through a website quote request form, direct phone, and email, with contracted lanes typically structured on annual or quarterly/biannual terms. Customer segments include general enterprise shippers, importers/manufacturers (e.g., Mexico-based server rack manufacturers serving US data centers), and industrial/energy sector firms requiring specialized transport for oversized or project-specific cargo. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with rates negotiated on commodity, lane, equipment, and shipping requirements; revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis across both the asset-based and brokerage legs.

DDS extends its offering through a strategic warehousing partnership with Axis Warehousing & Transloading, providing short and long-term storage, LTL/LCL, transloading, cross-docking, rework, redelivery, and yard storage. The company also operates The Ladder, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit it established, addressing housing, transportation, debt, health, employment, and addiction support in the Birmingham community. Founded September 27, 2017 from a basement origin, DDS grew to purchase its current 83,000 sq ft headquarters in 2021, maintains 11–50 employees, and operates as a privately held corporation with no disclosed external institutional capital.

Name

Aetna Freight Lines, Inc.

Legal name

DDS Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://ddssolutionsteam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DDS Solutions is an asset-based freight carrier and licensed freight brokerage based in Birmingham, AL, operating 2,886 owned trailers plus access to 39,000+ vetted carriers. It provides full truckload, specialized, and long-haul transport to enterprise shippers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Transportation and Logistics Services

NAICS

General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking (No Local) (4213)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers (TLADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dedicated / Contract Carriage Brokerage (Shippers’ Managed Capacity) (TLACACAF)

Keywords

• Asset-based freight
• Freight brokerage
• Flatbed trucking
• Refrigerated transport
• Specialized hauling

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

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. Asset-Based Freight Transportation: Revenue generated from operating owned fleet assets including dry van, flatbed, step deck, double drop, RGN, refrigerated, wind energy-specific, and specialized trailers for freight transportation throughout the continental US, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
2. Freight Brokerage Services: Revenue from brokerage services with access to over 39,000 vetted carriers, providing capacity scaling when internal assets are unavailable or for additional coverage needs. DDS operates as both asset carrier and licensed freight broker.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DDS Solutions operates as an asset-based freight dispatcher combined with a licensed freight brokerage, moving full truckload freight across the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The company owns a fleet of 3,086 trailers covering dry van, flatbed, step deck, double drop/RGN, refrigerated, wind energy-specific, and stretch deck/pole configurations, and supplements this capacity with a network of more than 39,000 vetted carriers through its brokerage operation.

Product overview

DDS Solutions is an asset-based freight dispatcher with brokerage capacity offering a unified logistics platform. The company operates a fleet of 3,086 trailers (250 dry vans, 750 flatbeds, 381 Conestoga flatbeds, 345 step decks, 350 double drop & RGN, 650 refrigerated, 130 wind energy-specific, 230 stretch deck/pole trailers) combined with access to over 39,000 vetted carriers. Core offerings include freight brokerage services, regional and long-haul OTR transport, real-time load tracking via MacroPoint, and specialized transport for wind energy, oversize loads, and temperature-controlled freight. The product portfolio also includes warehousing partner services through Axis Warehousing & Transloading, providing storage, transloading, cross-docking, and yard management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Ladder: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by DDS Solutions that partners with other nonprofits to fill gaps in support, addressing housing, transportation, debt, health, employment, and addiction issues.

Products and services

• Asset-Based Freight Transportation Full truckload (FTL) freight transportation at freight all kinds (FAK) rates using an owned fleet of 3,086 trailers including dry van, flatbed, step deck, double drop/RGN, refrigerated, wind energy-specific, and stretch deck/pole configurations, serving enterprise and mid-market shippers across the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
• Freight Brokerage Services Licensed freight brokerage providing access to over 39,000 vetted carriers for capacity scaling when internal assets are fully deployed, geographically mismatched, or unavailable, allowing DDS to maintain single-point accountability for shippers.
• Specialized Transport Services Specialized transport for wind turbine components, overdimensional loads, heavy industrial machinery, car haulers, intermodal shipping, cargo container transport, air freight, hot shots, expedited freight and sprinter vans, including pilot car coordination and over-dimensional permitting.
• Warehousing Solutions Short and long-term storage, LTL & LCL, transloading, cross-docking, rework, redelivery, and yard storage services delivered through strategic partner Axis Warehousing & Transloading, extending DDS into supply chain solutions beyond transportation.
• Refrigerated Transport

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The LadderminorOthersA 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by DDS Solutions to help people overcome obstacles to success. The Ladder addresses housing, transportation, debt, health, employment, and addiction through all-inclusive, case-by-case support. All board members are volunteers and all proceeds go directly to helping clients in need. Dave Woods, CVO of DDS Solutions, serves as Board Treasurer.
• Axis Warehousing & TransloadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing warehousing services including short and long-term storage, LTL & LCL, transloading, cross-docking, rework, redelivery, and yard storage. DDS partners with Axis to offer comprehensive supply chain solutions beyond transportation.
• Bridgeway ConnectsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDDS Solutions partnered with Bridgeway Connects early in their history. DDS quickly became their top revenue producer and was invited into the prestigious Chairman's Circle just one year into the partnership. This was a pivotal relationship in DDS's early growth trajectory.
• Oak City Baptist ChurchminorOthersCommunity partner engaged in outreach programs to support local families in need.
• The Well HouseminorOthersCommunity partner offering safe housing and support for women escaping human trafficking.
• Grace Klein CommunityminorOthersCommunity partner providing food and financial assistance to local families.
• The Results ToolboxminorOthersCommunity partner providing financial, spiritual, and life coaching to help people develop long-term systems to stay on track with their goals.
• Church of the HighlandsminorOthersCommunity partner engaging in community service efforts across the region.
• Unbound GraceminorOthersCommunity partner offering resources to support individuals in recovery as they rebuild their lives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hub Group: Asset-based intermodal and truckload operator with a significant brokerage business. Closely matches DDS's combined owned-asset plus brokerage approach for shippers needing flexible capacity.
• Schneider National: Large asset-based truckload carrier with a substantial brokerage division. Directly comparable to DDS's hybrid asset + brokerage model serving enterprise and mid-market shippers across long-haul and specialized lanes.
• NFI Industries: Privately held asset-based supply chain solutions provider with truckload, brokerage, dedicated, and warehousing services. Closely matches DDS's full-stack asset-plus-brokerage-plus-warehousing offering.
• Werner Enterprises: Asset-based truckload carrier with dedicated brokerage and logistics services. Comparable mid-sized hybrid carrier model with similar focus on enterprise shipper service quality and contract lane positioning.
• Heartland Express: Asset-based irregular route truckload carrier with similar focus on dry van and refrigerated freight. Comparable mid-sized public competitor in the domestic truckload market.
• Landstar System: Asset-light transportation services company leveraging an agent-based owner-operator network. Comparable non-traditional carrier model that combines owned capacity with a large variable-cost owner-operator fleet.
• U.S. Xpress Enterprises: Asset-based truckload carrier with brokerage and dedicated services. Closely matches DDS's hybrid model serving enterprise shippers across long-haul domestic lanes.

Broad incumbents

• ArcBest: LTL carrier with growing truckload brokerage and asset-based operations. Competes for similar enterprise and mid-market shipper relationships with a broader service portfolio.
• Knight-Swift Transportation: Largest US truckload carrier with full asset-based, brokerage, and LTL capabilities. A broad incumbent competitor for enterprise freight with significantly greater capital and geographic scale than DDS.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: One of the largest US truckload and intermodal carriers with a substantial brokerage arm (JBI). A broad incumbent offering similar asset-plus-brokerage services but at materially greater scale and with proprietary technology investments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dds-solutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Aetna Freight Lines, Inc.