Canada’s trucking landscape continued to change over the past year, as Mullen Group surged into the second spot on Today’s Trucking’s 2025 list of the Top 100 largest for-hire carriers in Canada, second only to TFI International.
Mullen Group, which held fourth place last year, now operates more than 15,000 pieces of equipment — up 3,393 from 2024. Day & Ross is now third, followed by Bison Transport and Consolidated Fastfrate.
CN, which previously held the fifth spot, withdrew from the rankings this year. Ontario remains home to the majority of Top 100 fleets, accounting for 59 carriers. Quebec follows with 13 fleets, then Alberta (9), B.C. (8), Manitoba (5), New Brunswick (4), and Nova Scotia (2).
The list welcomed 10 new carriers: Petrogas Logistics Partnership in Alberta; Overland West Freight Lines and Tristar Transport in B.C.; Trappers Transport and 4 Tracks in Manitoba; J.B. Transport in Ontario; and Transport Grayson, Le Groupe Aubin, Systeme Danfreight, and Prince Logistics in Quebec. Two fleets — SSP Truck Line and Keypoint Carriers, both from Ontario — returned to the list.
After a year in court under bankruptcy protection, Pride Group Logistics was able to stay on the list this year after the founding Johal brothers repurchased the company. Pride filed for creditor protection in March 2024, but now reports 255 trucks and 1,180 trailers, supported by more than 300 employees and 100 owner-operators. In 2023 and 2024, it had ranked 20th.
Fleet growth and acquisitions
Several fleets climbed the rankings on the strength of expansion, either through acquisitions or equipment purchasing.
Haulage North America, for example, jumped from 62nd to 48th, adding 206 pieces of equipment. JD Smith moved from 76th to 65th after growing the fleet by 116 units. The company acquired Claire’s Delivery and Transportation, a 75-year-old Ontario-based carrier specializing in bulk, tanker, and live bottom freight. Hap Transportation, meanwhile, rose nine spots to 58th, having added more than 140 units over the past year.
Mergers and acquisitions once again played a major role in reshaping the rankings, with Trimac and Canada Cartage among the busiest buyers. Canada Cartage made two major moves — acquiring Walmart Canada’s private fleet temperature-sensitive carrier Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPX), which operates nearly 600 trailers and cold storage facilities in B.C. and Alberta.
Trimac expanded its specialized offerings by acquiring Watt & Stewart, with terminals in Alberta and South Carolina, and purchased Feldspar Trucking in North Carolina. It also took over Valley Bulk in California.
Mullen Group, meanwhile, acquired ContainerWorld Forwarding Services in B.C. and Yukon-based Pacific Northwest Moving.
TFI International added Quebec-based CMW Express.
Other notable deals included KAG Canada’s purchases of Groupe Sylvain Simard and Pro-N2, and Wellington Group’s acquisition of Contract Express.
And while the past year saw notable growth and consolidation among Canada’s largest fleets, their strategies are also being shaped by broader economic and political uncertainty. Despite positive signs on a horizon after a 27-month-long freight recession, industry optimism has been tempered by renewed trade uncertainty when earlier this year U.S. president Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Even though Canada retaliated, the trade war caused fresh concerns for Canadian carriers operating cross-border, from both market and equipment purchasing standpoints.
