Corporate America and the trucking industry!

[imanamerican63]

It’s a given that many traditional trucking companies have been bought out by bigger corporations.

Here in the last two to three years, it has become increasingly common. Unlike the little guys staying afloat, the larger companies can afford to be bought out.

I don’t have the dollars numbers to give you an idea of the value price is. But it is in the billions!

I have been driving for almost 40 years and I am glad to be winding down my career.

The industry used to have sensible people running the industry and now it’s the almighty dollar and who has the most to control the market. There are those who buy up all these companies just wash them out into bankruptcy.

It’s not just the trucking industry! It is happening everywhere. No wonder people like Trump, Elon, Bezos and others make so much money? Tax right off to them.

I work for a mid sized company with 300 to 350 trucks and they are very worried about the future. The sad, part is that this company is a 4th generation, 100+ year old company. I might add, this company is the best by far, I have worked for. I make a good wage and the benefits are above the average package. No, the most it could, but they are always trying to make changes as needed.

This is a billionaire’s world and the GOBers wonder why we are pissed off about our futures.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

1. Fellow trucker here, although I'm an O/O, and I agree with your entire thread.

[2naSalit]

2. It started...

Back when deregulation happened. Schneider used to be a mid-sized tanker operation from Shebygan, WI; Willis Shaw, shithole company that it was got bought up and became JB Hunt; Martin was a small operation in NW Wisc and so on. There were a whole bunch of common carriers who aren't ariund anymore, I will refer you to Duncanpup for the history on that.

It's been a slow roll, just like many other things that have been taken over in the quiet enshitification program.

[marked50]

3. I've always believed that Truckers have a unique

Insight into the heatbeat of America. This is mostly what happens when you have people criss-crossing the entire country and stopping frequently on their way. Good luck to all Truckers and be safe.

[truddy777]

4. every industry is getting rolled up right now

Last edited Mon Jan 26, 2026, 10:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Feels like every industry is getting rolled up right now, trucking just makes it extra obvious because you see it in real time.

I don’t think people realize how much of it is just finance math. Big groups can run thinner margins, squeeze vendors, stretch payables, and survive bad quarters that would kill a family outfit. Then the “local” company is still there in name for a bit, but the vibe changes, benefits get trimmed, maintenance gets delayed, and everybody’s stressed.

On the smaller ops side it’s the same story too. The only way I’ve seen people stay sane is running tight systems and knowing their numbers cold. Even in hauling work, just having jobs and billing clean matters, I used CurbWaste for that and it made it easier to see what was profitable vs what was just grinding.