Press Releases
November 12, 2007Estes and Lakeville Agree to Dissolve Alliance, Allowing Estes to Grow in Midwest
Richmond, VA—On March 1, 2008, Estes Express Lines and Lakeville Motor Express (LME) will amicably dissolve the alliance they have maintained for 12 years through the ExpressLINK network. At that time, Estes will open terminals in North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, effectively establishing a direct national coverage footprint in all 50 United States. Lakeville Motor Express will be working with a new group of partners in the U.S. and Canada.
Estes’ 2005 acquisition of former ExpressLINK member carrier G.I. Trucking has catapulted Estes into national-carrier status. This move to offer direct service to the few remaining states in the U.S. is a logical next step for Estes, and is the approach agreed upon by both companies.
Up until March 1, the network will function as is with all three carriers: Estes, LME and TST Overland. Though Lakeville Motor Express will no longer be part of ExpressLINK after March 1, the network itself will remain intact and will be made up of Estes Express Lines in the U.S. and TST Overland Express in Canada.
Estes and LME have had a very positive business relationship for 12 years, and both pledge to work together closely to make the transition seamless for customers. The separation will make the two companies competitors to some extent; however, both parties fully expect the competition to be friendly. Estes and LME will also continue working with one another after the effective date in a cooperative spirit.
About Estes Express Lines
Richmond, VA-based Estes Express Lines is a full-service transportation provider offering coast-to-coast North American coverage. Founded in 1931 by W.W. Estes, the company is still owned and operated by the Estes family. During the past 76 years, Estes Express has grown from a small, local carrier into one of the most respected multiregional, less-than-truckload and truckload transportation systems in the country. Estes now employs more than 13,000 people and boasts an inventory of more than 29,000 pieces of power equipment and trailers. With a network of 185 terminals, the company serves 46 states, the Caribbean and major commercial markets in Mexico, while covering the rest of the United States and Canada through its membership in ExpressLINK.