Swift reports turnaround in 2011

   Swift Transportation Co. said it had a profit of $36.8 million in the fourth quarter, compared to a loss of $48.3 million in the same 2010 period.
   Operating revenue in the quarter was $861 million, compared to $780 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.
   For the full year the national trucking company had a profit of $90.6 million versus a loss of $125.4 million in 2010. Operating revenue in 2011 was $3.3 billion, compared to $2.9 billion in 2010.
   Swift said its weekly trucking revenue per tractor was $3,018, exceeding $3,000 for the third quarter in a row, and said the improvement “was driven by a 4 percent increase in our revenue per loaded mile, excluding fuel surcharges, partially offset by a slight decrease in utilization as measured by loaded miles per truck per week resulting from a shift in business mix from over-the-road linehaul service to dedicated regional service.”
   In a letter to shareholders the company said “one of our strategies is to grow by cross-selling our entire suite of services.”
   Over-the-road linehaul business accounted for 65 percent of Swift’s revenue in 2011, compared to 67 percent in 2010, and “continues to be our core, but we strive to complement this service by developing creative solutions for our customers that include a variety of transportation services,” the company said. Swift said its non-asset based and dedicated services grew last year.