Survey reveals top LTL carriers for 2025

Mastio’s survey again names Daylight Transport best overall

Mastio conducted 1,630 interviews with LTL shippers, recording approximately 5,100 observations, from late June through late September. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
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Key Takeaways:

  • Daylight Transport was named the top overall less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier for the second consecutive year in Mastio & Co.'s annual customer value and loyalty survey.
  • Old Dominion Freight Line maintained its status as the top national LTL carrier for the 16th consecutive year, also ranking No. 1 in 23 of 28 national service categories.
  • The survey, which involved 1,630 interviews with LTL shippers and rated 147 carriers, also recognized top regional carriers such as Pitt Ohio, Dayton Freight Lines, Southeastern Freight Lines, and Peninsula.
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Daylight Transport was named by Mastio & Co. as the top overall less-than-truckload carrier for a second straight year. The research and consulting firm’s annual customer value and loyalty survey listed Old Dominion Freight Line as the top national carrier for a 16th consecutive year.

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There was little change among service rankings in the overall category. The group also included Averitt Express (No. 2), Old Dominion (No. 3) and Peninsula (No. 4). Southeastern Freight Lines (No. 5) edged out Dayton Freight Lines (No. 6), which slid one spot this year.

Averitt Express won the overall category in 2023 and Peninsula was the winner in 2022.

This year’s survey rated 147 carriers, with only 24 garnering enough ratings to make the list. Mastio conducted 1,630 interviews with LTL shippers, recording approximately 5,100 observations, from late June through late September.

Estes was ranked the No. 2 national carrier again behind Old Dominion (NASDAQ: ODFL). R&L Carriers broke into the group at No. 3 while XPO (NYSE: XPO) held position at No. 4. ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) subsidiary ABF Freight slid two spots to No. 5.

Saia (NASDAQ: SAIA), FedEx Freight (NYSE: FDX) and TFI International’s (NYSE: TFII) U.S. LTL company, TForce Freight, rounded out the national rankings.

Interviewers asked LTL customers open-ended questions about carrier service offerings, competitiveness and customer retention. The rankings were based on 28 service metrics, including on-time delivery, damages, transit times, pricing and technology, as well as back-end functions like billing accuracy, claims processing, problem resolution and carrier responsiveness.

Old Dominion was ranked No. 1 in 23 of the 28 national service categories.

“This award means so much to us because it’s chosen by our customers,” said Marty Freeman, Old Dominion president and CEO, in a news release. “We’re proud to be seen as a trusted shipping partner that ensures their promises are delivered.”

Daylight Transport was also ranked as the top inter-regional carrier, followed by Averitt Express and Roadrunner (OTC: RRTS).

Pitt Ohio won the top spot among Northeast/Mid-Atlantic carriers. Dayton Freight Lines was again No. 1 in the Great Lakes/Midwest region. Southeastern Freight Lines was again the top Southern carrier while Peninsula was again named the top Western carrier.

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Todd Maiden

Based in Richmond, VA, Todd is the finance editor at FreightWaves. Prior to joining FreightWaves, he covered the TLs, LTLs, railroads and brokers for RBC Capital Markets and BB&T Capital Markets. Todd began his career in banking and finance before moving over to transportation equity research where he provided stock recommendations for publicly traded transportation companies.