Estes bets $56M on cross-border, offshore freight expansion

Estes Express Lines is investing nearly $56 million to expand its cross-border and offshore freight network, including terminals, equipment and capacity serving Canada, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Alex Peebles, senior director of offshore and international at Estes, said the privately held, family-owned carrier is taking a longer view of the freight market rather than allowing current conditions to dictate its investment strategy. “We’re really looking at all of these investments from a long-term horizon and viewpoint perspective and one that’s going to help accommodate growth and capacity into all the offshore international markets that we service,” Peebles told FreightWaves. Estes, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, is North America’s largest privately held less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation provider. The company operates a network of over 300 terminals and service centers across the U.