St. Louis sits at the intersection of three of the busiest interstate corridors in the country (I-70, I-55, and I-44), plus Class I rail hubs and one of the largest inland ports on the Mississippi. If you are moving freight in or out of the Midwest, there is a strong chance it touches St. Louis at some point.
I ranked the top trucking companies operating out of the St. Louis metro using verified broker and shipper reviews from CarrierSource. The carriers on this list span dry van, reefer, flatbed, intermodal, and power-only, because anyone shipping freight in this market needs options that match the lane, not a single equipment type.
Every carrier here cleared the same bar: at least 5 verified reviews, an active operating authority, and a strong star rating from real brokers and shippers. If you would rather skip the editorial and browse the full list and filter by your own criteria, you can do that directly on CarrierSource.
"They booked a load with us out of Oklahoma delivering to Illinois. The driver and dispatcher both were easy to work with. Driver made pickup on time and made delivery without incident. They also kept me updated throughout transit. Would recommend and would use again!" — Verified Broker, MO
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.94/5 (11 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
157 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Saint Louis, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
1507798 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: AA Express runs a 157-truck fleet covering dry van, flatbed, and reefer freight out of the St. Louis core. The reviews call out two things consistently: dispatch communication and driver execution. For brokers covering multi-stop or out-of-region lanes, both of those matter more than rate.
Best for: Brokers who need a versatile St. Louis carrier they can use across multiple equipment types without juggling vendors.
"This team was a pleasure to work with. We had a few delays on the customer side that delayed this shipment and they worked with us until the load was complete. Once it was ready everything was made on-time with no issues. Great team!" — Verified Broker, OH
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.93/5 (5 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
7 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Highland, IL |
| 📋 DOT Number |
3478890 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Landolt is small (7 trucks) and 100% intermodal. Every review emphasizes responsiveness and the willingness to work through customer-side delays. That kind of patience is rare in container drayage, where every minute of dwell time costs someone money.
Best for: Shippers and brokers running container loads in and out of the St. Louis intermodal yards who want a small, accountable carrier on speed-dial.
"R And S Express did a great job for us on a dry van load. Carrier provided clean and reliable equipment. Driver was on time for pickup and delivery. Communication was there every step of the way. Great job by a reliable carrier." — Verified Broker, FL
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.87/5 (7 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
60 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
St Louis, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
2096405 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: R And S Express runs 60 power units focused on container drayage and power-only freight, but the reviews show they execute conventional dry van work too. The pattern across reviews is consistent: clean equipment, on-time pickups and deliveries, and proactive updates throughout transit.
Best for: Brokers who need a mid-sized St. Louis carrier that can move both container freight and broker-supplied trailers without missing pickups.
"MIDOS did a great job, gave accurate ETAs and tracked the entire shipment. Driver was professional and provided PODs immediately for quick billing." — Verified Broker, KY
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.87/5 (6 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
95 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
St Louis, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
1837063 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Almost every review of Mido's mentions the same combination: driver communication, real-time tracking, and clean trailers. For a 95-truck dry van fleet headquartered right in St. Louis, that is a tight operation. The reviewer note about "PODs immediately for quick billing" is the kind of detail that tells you the back office is dialed in too.
Best for: Brokers and shippers running short and medium-haul dry van out of the St. Louis area who care about predictable transit and clean paperwork.
"Ran with us for 10 years now. Never a disappointment. Dispatch makes us aware on any issues along the route. Long Long mile runs for us and they are always so easy to work with. Drivers are phenomenal!" — Verified Broker, OR
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.86/5 (30 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
439 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Hazelwood, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
2096411 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: ITF Group is the most-reviewed carrier on this list by a wide margin, with 30 verified reviews and almost all of them five-star. The fleet runs every major equipment type (dry van, reefer, flatbed, step deck, auto carrier, power only, sprinter van), which is why brokers from Florida to California to Oregon keep coming back. Multiple reviewers mention working relationships measured in years, not loads.
Best for: Brokers and shippers who need a single high-volume St. Louis carrier with genuine multi-equipment capability and a track record long enough to verify before booking.
6. Climate Express Inc: Long-Tenured Reefer and Dry Van Operator
"Weve worked with Climate since about 2006, they really helped us out in the capacity crunch of 2021 with trucks. Their drivers are good communicators and the dispatch is friendly and responsive. Highly reccomend." — Verified Broker, KS
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.80/5 (8 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
204 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Union, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
648882 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Climate Express has been running freight out of the St. Louis area since 1996. The 204-truck fleet handles both refrigerated and dry van work, and reviews consistently call out three things: equipment cleanliness, dispatch responsiveness, and capacity availability when other carriers cannot deliver. One broker mentioned working with them since 2006, which is the kind of relationship that does not survive bad service.
Best for: Shippers running temperature-controlled or dry van freight out of central Missouri who want a long-tenured carrier with consistent capacity through tight markets.
"They confirmed everything with me and arrived on time for pickup and delivery. Very reliable carrier. I've worked with them a couple of times and they always keep excelent communication and paperwork sent on time." — Verified Broker, IN
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.79/5 (11 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
105 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Hazelwood, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
767997 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Artur Express has been operating since 1998 and runs 105 trucks across all 48 states. One Illinois broker singled out their ability to maintain a personal touch despite their size, which matches the pattern across reviews: drivers known by name, dispatchers who pick up the phone, and consistent on-time performance on food-grade dry van and reefer freight.
Best for: Brokers and shippers who want an established St. Louis area dry van and reefer carrier with the operational maturity of a much larger fleet.
"Cayenne Express booked a dry van load with us. Pickup and delivery went smoothly. They sent in a trailer that was in good condition. Electronic tracking was turned on throughout the trip. Professional crew. We look forward to working with them in the future." — Verified Broker, FL
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.76/5 (8 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
24 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Dupo, IL |
| 📋 DOT Number |
611759 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Cayenne Express is the smallest fleet on the ranked list at 24 trucks, but they punch above their weight on review quality. Reviews specifically call out tracking compliance and dispatcher availability. According to their own bio, their main lanes run within a 600-mile radius of St. Louis, which means dedicated regional capacity for the Midwest and Southeast.
Best for: Shippers and brokers with regular Midwest-to-Southeast lanes who want a smaller, regionally focused carrier that will not disappear when capacity tightens.
"This team did a great job on a recovery load, after another carrier fell off short notice. They did a great job and made sure to hit both sides on time and stayed on tracking. We did not have any issues and will be working with them again." — Verified Broker, OH
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.76/5 (7 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
233 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Maryland Heights, MO |
| 📋 DOT Number |
3542116 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: GFS runs a 233-truck dry van and power-only fleet from Maryland Heights, just outside the St. Louis core. The standout review for me was the recovery load story. When a primary carrier falls off, you need someone who can confirm fast and execute clean, and GFS apparently did both. Other reviews echo the same pattern on food-grade dry van and multi-stop power-only work.
Best for: Brokers who need backup capacity in the St. Louis market for recovery loads, expedites, and food-grade dry van work.
10. Arch Transport LLC: Tight Operation Out of Dupo, IL
"Arch really is a step above the rest. From on-time pickup, delivery and communication. You can't beat what they have to offer. Great team!" — Verified Broker, OH
| ⭐ Star Rating |
4.71/5 (7 reviews) |
| 🚛 Fleet Size |
85 trucks |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Dupo, IL |
| 📋 DOT Number |
1460045 |
| 🔗 Profile |
View on CarrierSource |
What stands out: Arch Transport is an 85-truck dry van carrier just across the river from St. Louis in Dupo, Illinois. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive on the basics that matter: tracking compliance, on-time appointments, and dispatch responsiveness. One broker called them "a step above the rest," which lines up with the pattern of repeat business in their review history.
Best for: Brokers covering East-side St. Louis lanes who want a focused, mid-sized dry van carrier with strong fundamentals.
Additional Top-Rated Carriers with Terminals in St. Louis
These carriers are not headquartered in St. Louis, but they operate terminal locations within 50 miles, which gives them a strong local presence for pickups and deliveries in the area. They meet the same review and safety thresholds as the ranked carriers above.
| Carrier |
⭐ Rating (out of 5) |
🚛 Fleet Size |
Overview |
| Paper Transport LLC |
4.90 (10 reviews) |
736 |
Wisconsin-based truckload and intermodal carrier with multiple Midwest terminal locations and over 950 Class A drivers since 1990. |
| ABF Freight System Inc |
4.88 (10 reviews) |
4,604 |
Century-old LTL specialist and ArcBest company with 240 service centers across North America, one of the largest carriers serving the St. Louis market. |
| GTS Transportation Corporation |
4.80 (17 reviews) |
400 |
Family-owned Chicagoland carrier handling dry van, reefer, flatbed, expedited, and oversize loads across the Midwest. |
| Legacy Express Trucking Inc |
4.78 (10 reviews) |
205 |
Joliet, IL operator running intermodal containers, dry van, reefer, and cargo van work with a strong stated safety focus. |
| Skyline Express |
4.74 (6 reviews) |
600 |
Chicago Ridge intermodal drayage and over-the-road carrier built to handle major customers without losing the responsiveness of a smaller fleet. |
| Eastern Express Inc |
4.70 (14 reviews) |
347 |
A 30-year flatbed specialist serving customers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with a focused single-equipment fleet. |
| Venture Transport LLC |
4.55 (6 reviews) |
1,151 |
Indianapolis-based asset carrier offering dry van and flatbed truckload alongside broader supply chain services. |
| Martin Transportation Systems Inc |
4.53 (6 reviews) |
1,160 |
Family-owned Michigan carrier specializing in dedicated just-in-time dry van and box truck services for shippers needing tight delivery windows. |
| Dayton Freight Lines Inc |
4.40 (7 reviews) |
2,278 |
Ohio-headquartered LTL carrier with 54 service centers across the Midwest, offering 1- or 2-day service throughout a 13-state region. |
| Meyer Logistics Inc |
4.39 (5 reviews) |
465 |
Indiana-based dry van and box truck carrier focused on flexibility and reliability for shippers needing dependable execution. |
How I Picked These Carriers
This list is not algorithmic. I pulled every carrier headquartered within 50 miles of downtown St. Louis that has at least 5 verified reviews on CarrierSource and an active operating authority. Then I ranked them by star rating and review count.
I prioritized review depth and quality. A carrier with 30 five-star reviews from brokers across the country (like ITF Group) tells you something fundamentally different than a carrier with 5 reviews, even if the star averages are close. Both can be excellent, but the larger sample size simply gives you more signal to work with before booking.
For the terminal carriers section, I included carriers headquartered outside the immediate metro that operate yards or terminals within 50 miles of St. Louis. They give you additional capacity options that look local from a pickup and delivery standpoint, even if their dispatch is somewhere else.
FAQ
What kinds of freight typically move through St. Louis?
St. Louis is a major hub for agricultural products, food and beverage (Anheuser-Busch and other brewers, processed foods), automotive parts, chemicals, paper products, and intermodal containers feeding distribution centers across the Midwest. The mix means shippers can find local capacity across dry van, reefer, flatbed, container, and power-only equipment with relatively short search effort.
What are the major freight lanes out of St. Louis?
The strongest outbound lanes from St. Louis run east on I-70 to Indianapolis, Columbus, and the Northeast; south on I-55 to Memphis and Dallas; west on I-70 to Kansas City and Denver; and north on I-55 to Chicago. The bi-state metro means many carriers have terminals or operations split between Missouri and Illinois, with Granite City, Dupo, Highland, and Belleville all common headquarters locations for carriers serving the region.
How can shippers vet a new St. Louis carrier before booking?
Start with insurance verification and FMCSA authority status, then look at recent broker and shipper reviews on platforms like CarrierSource. Pay attention to review consistency and recency over a single high or low score. Beyond that, ask the carrier for two or three broker references in your specific equipment type, and verify they have experience on lanes similar to the freight you are moving.
Why do some carriers headquartered in Illinois appear on a St. Louis list?
The St. Louis freight market is bi-state. Granite City, Dupo, Belleville, and Highland all sit within 15 to 35 miles of downtown St. Louis and function as part of the same metropolitan freight ecosystem. Carriers based in those cities typically run the same lanes, serve the same shippers, and provide the same pickup and delivery turnaround times as their Missouri-based counterparts.
What is the difference between a locally headquartered carrier and one with only a terminal in St. Louis?
A locally headquartered carrier handles dispatch, billing, and operations from the St. Louis area, which often translates to faster decision-making on time-sensitive freight. A carrier with a terminal in St. Louis but headquartered elsewhere has local equipment and drivers but typically routes operational decisions through another office. Both can deliver excellent service. The distinction usually matters most when a load needs an unusual accommodation or when a problem requires escalation.
Find the Right Carrier for Your Lane
This list is a starting point. The right carrier for your freight depends on the equipment, the lane, the timing, and how you prefer to communicate with dispatch. Use the buttons below to either search the full list of St. Louis carriers and filter by your own criteria, or let CarrierSource AI surface a shortlist based on what you are trying to move.
