Canada’s biggest truck fleets in 2023: The Top 100 list revealed

Today’s Trucking has compiled the list of the Top 100 – Canada’s biggest for-hire fleets based on equipment counts. And some familiar names continue to dominate the top of the list.

TFI International maintains its position as Canada’s biggest fleet, followed by Day & Ross, and Mullen Group. Bison Transport moves into the fourth spot, followed by Canadian National Transportation.

The full data can be accessed and sorted at www.trucknews.com/top-100.

Fleet mergers and acquisitions led to some significant changes in the annual ranking.

Consolidated Fastfrate acquired a controlling interest in Challenger Motor Freight – along with its 1,200 tractors, 3,000 trailers and 300 chassis — in August 2022, lifting the combined companies to 6th place.

Kriska Transportation Group saw growth of its own. This March it acquired Liberty Linehaul’s Canadian and U.S. operations, expanding LTL services with another 72 tractors and 157 trailers.

TFI International expands

TFI, meanwhile, continued its own growth after acquiring Quebec-based Groupe Transport St-Michel in August 2022. That’s reflected in our published list. But its M&A activity continued in late February, adding another 20 tractors and 300 trailers by acquiring Montreal-based Axsun. That deal came after the list was finalized. (Deadlines are deadlines.)

After acquiring WJ Deans Transportation in December, meanwhile, Express Mondor became one of Canada’s biggest flatbed trucking groups, moving up nine points this year. The carrier that Transport Routier previously ranked among Quebec’s Top 25 added 40 trucks and 125 trailers once the deal was finalized.

Lineage Logistics appears on the list for the first time after closing a deal for Ontario-headquartered VersaCold Logistics Services, which serves the biggest markets across nine provinces. And Jardine Transport Group, a New Brunswick longhaul fleet, makes its first appearance on the list in the 80th position after acquiring K&T Transport last summer.

Final mile delivery growth

Even the changing nature of trucking plays a role in the list.

Purolator is now ranked in 10th place, jumping 13 points, now that the Top 100 recognizes step vans and package cars used in final mile deliveries.

The changes are not limited to totals alone, though. For the first time, our ranking also includes information on the number of terminals each fleet operates.

We’ve even compiled the data into an entirely new online interface. Visit www.trucknews.com/Top-100 to sort the data by any category you choose, or download a spreadsheet loaded with the information for your use.

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