Top 100 Private Carriers balance service and costs

QXO rose nine spots on this year's Top 100 Private Carriers list as acquisitions expanded its tractor fleet. (QXO Inc.)

North America’s largest private fleet operators have been balancing service, efficiency and cost controls as they adapt to rising expenses and shifting trade policies.

Despite those challenges, the companies ranked on the 2026 Transport Topics Top 100 Private Carriers list have continued to demonstrate the value of their in-house truck fleets, particularly as for-hire freight rates rebound from a prolonged downcycle.

This annual list, which ranks private fleets based on the number of tractors they operate, features many familiar names at the top, starting with No. 1 Walmart Inc. The retail giant ex­tended its lead by growing its tractor fleet to 13,589 power units, an increase of nearly 900 trucks from a year ago.

The bigger picture for the Top 100 was more mixed, though, with this year’s list split about evenly between companies that expanded their private truck fleets and those that maintained or reduced their tractor counts during the past year.

In several cases, prominent private carriers grew their fleet operations through acquisition.

Building materials supplier QXO Inc. continued to expand its business by purchasing insulation provider TopBuild Corp. in July for $17 billion and lumber distributor Kodiak Building Partners in April for about $2.25 billion. With its enlarged fleet of 879 tractors, QXO climbs to No. 61 on the Top 100 one year after debuting on the list at No. 70 following its acquisition of Beacon Roofing Supply.

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Clevenger

Further down the ranking, home improvement retailer Lowe’s Companies rejoins the list at No. 83 after buying Foundation Building Materials in October 2025.

Consolidation is also reshaping private fleet operations in the food and beverage sectors.

Foodservice distributor C&S Wholesale Grocers enters the Top 100 at No. 39 after completing its $1.77 billion purchase of SpartanNash in September 2025. C&S more than doubled its tractor fleet to 1,291 vehicles through its acquisition of SpartanNash, which ranked No. 77 on last year’s list.

Meanwhile, alcoholic beverage distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits jumped 13 positions on the list to No. 43 with its expanded fleet of 1,204 tractors, up from 926 a year ago. Southern Glazer’s acquired Clare Rose Inc. of Long Island, N.Y., in May and Eagle Rock Distributing’s Colorado operations in July.

Another company that grew its private fleet last year is No. 55 Brenntag North America, a distributor of chemicals and ingredients. The company acquired oil field chemicals firm Chem Tech Services in November.

A notable name change on this year’s list is No. 77 Nippon Sanso Matheson, previously known as Matheson Tri-Gas. The North American subsidiary of Nippon Sanso Holdings Corp. began operating under the new name in April to align with a unified global identity for the industrial gas company.

This year’s Top 100 features several additional newcomers to the list.

Energy infrastructure company Quanta Services debuts at No. 62 with its fleet of 877 tractors.

Joining the list at No. 69 are sister companies Burrtec Waste Industries and Edco Disposal. The California-based firms provide waste management and recycling services and together operate 788 tractors.

Another addition to the list is No. 86 RelaDyne, a Houston-based distributor of lubricants, fuel, diesel exhaust fluid and other automotive and industrial products.

Cal-Maine Foods, a fresh egg producer headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss., operates 514 tractors and makes its debut at No. 97.

Houston-based oil field services firm SLB Ltd., formerly known as Schlumberger, enters the Top 100 at No. 98.

Finally, automotive parts retailer AutoZone Inc. just cracks the list this year at No. 100 with its 496 tractors.

Transport Topics assembles its Top 100 Private Carriers list and accompanying industry sector lists based on companies’ responses to an annual fleet survey, correspondence with company management and public carrier registration data filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.