Private Equity-Backed Trucking & Fleet Acquisitions

Alliance Fleet, a portfolio company of Owner Resource Group (ORG), has acquired Vital Truck & Van, a light commercial vehicle upfitter headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, with additional locations in Colorado. Vital's founders will join Alliance Fleet's leadership team and retain an ownership stake as the combined company pursues a national dropship upfitting facility network to accelerate delivery and expand geographic coverage.

Tailwind Capital has made a control investment in Valor Fleet Services, a Leesburg, Virginia–based towing, recovery and roadside assistance platform operating roughly 14 locations. The partnership positions Tailwind to scale Valor through operational investment and add-on acquisitions in the highly fragmented towing and road services market; Full Guard Capital is the selling sponsor and Bruce Dressel will join Valor's board as Executive Chairman.

Avkha Equity Holdings, a San Francisco-based private investment firm, has acquired Minnesota-based Dart Transit Company (including Dart Express and related subsidiaries), ending 90 years of Oren family ownership. The transaction (effective Jan. 1) preserves the Dart brand and day-to-day operations while Avkha plans to expand service offerings — including additional lanes, intermodal solutions, and dedicated fleets — and installs a new CEO as part of the leadership transition.

Equity Group Investments (EGI) has made an investment in CIT Trucks, a commercial truck dealer headquartered in Normal, Illinois. EGI will partner with CIT's senior management (who retain an ownership stake) to support growth and expansion across the Midwest as the current CEO retires and the president assumes the CEO role.

Amerit Fleet Solutions has acquired Derotic Emergency Equipment, a California-based upfitter of fire, police, emergency and utility vehicles. The business will be integrated into Vector Fleet Management (an Amerit company) to expand Vector and Amerit's government vehicle upfitting and nationwide fleet services capabilities.

Roebling Capital Partners has led a strategic growth investment in White Stone Fleet Service, LLC, a Hamilton, Ohio–based mobile fleet maintenance provider. The capital will support White Stone's geographic expansion across the Midwest, technology adoption, talent recruitment, and potential strategic acquisitions while the existing leadership team remains in place.

Stonepeak has partnered with Dupré Logistics, a Lafayette, Louisiana-based transportation company that operates more than 700 trucks and 1,000 professional drivers, to invest in and grow Dupré's nationwide energy distribution, private fleet and brokerage services. The Dupré family will remain shareholders and Stonepeak has appointed Chris Sower as interim CEO to support the company's next phase of growth; terms were not disclosed.

The Kenan Advantage Group, Inc. (KAG) has acquired M.C. Tank Transport, Inc., a West Chester, Ohio-based liquid bulk chemical transport company operating eight terminals and three ISO container depots across the Southeast and Midwest. The deal brings roughly 175 drivers and 70 operational/administrative employees into KAG, and adds about 100 tractors and 500 trailers/chassis while expanding KAG’s chemical tanking, ISO container storage/maintenance, and related service capabilities.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest independent distributor of aftermarket heavy-duty parts and service, has acquired OTR Fleet Service LLC, a Houston-headquartered mobile and fixed-location fleet maintenance provider with service centers in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio and more than 30 mobile units. The acquisition expands FleetPride’s service footprint and mobile maintenance capabilities across key Texas markets and provides OTR customers access to FleetPride’s nationwide parts, digital commerce and training resources.

Luxembourg-based investment firm LetterOne has made a significant growth investment in Dayim Middle East Holding Company (DMEH), a Saudi equipment and truck logistics & leasing group, to fund DMEH’s continued growth across Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC. The capital supports DMEH’s expansion across end markets such as oil & gas, infrastructure and logistics while helping LetterOne establish a longer-term presence in the region.

Vehicle Management Solutions (VMS), a portfolio company of Mill Point Capital, has acquired All Area W&W Towing, a regional provider of municipal vehicle towing and recovery services based in Blue Island, Illinois. The add-on expands VMS' service footprint across the greater Chicago metro (including Harvey, Markham, Matteson and Sauk Village) and enhances its vehicle recovery, storage and traffic incident management capabilities.

EVO Transportation & Energy Services has acquired West Side Transport, a Midwest-based truckload carrier and brokerage that operates 550 trucks, 2,300 trailers and about 700 employees, to diversify EVO's customer mix beyond the U.S. Postal Service and increase density in the Midwest. The deal was financed with debt and equity from WhiteHawk Capital Partners and Antara Capital; Don Vogt will serve as a board adviser and West Side COO Ron Joseph has been promoted to president of the West Side division. Terms were not disclosed.

Boxwheel Trailer Leasing, a Denver-based trailer rental and leasing operator backed by Crosstimbers Capital Group, acquired the assets of Detroit-area Twin Bridges Enterprises. The asset purchase expands Boxwheel’s geographic coverage in the Detroit market as part of its ongoing acquisitive growth strategy supported by Crosstimbers and lenders.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and services, acquired the assets of Knowles On Site Repair, Inc. The deal expands FleetPride’s mobile repair capabilities and strengthens its presence in the Florida Panhandle and Mobile, Alabama, adding a team of more than 30 technicians to FleetPride’s service network.

Full Guard Capital-backed Henry's Wrecker Service has partnered with Road Runner Wrecker Service, bringing the Leesburg, Virginia towing and hauling provider into Henry's platform as a sister company. The deal strengthens Henry's presence in the Mid-Atlantic, creates operational synergies across municipal and commercial towing contracts, and supports further add-on acquisition growth under Full Guard Capital.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest distributor of truck and trailer parts and services, has acquired the assets of Integrity Fleet Services, a fleet maintenance and repair provider based in Pacific, Washington. The deal adds a Pacific service center and mobile maintenance trucks to FleetPride’s network, strengthening its service capabilities and local footprint for commercial fleet customers. Glen Grader, owner of Integrity Fleet Services, will transition the business into FleetPride.

FleetPride, Inc. has acquired the assets of RPM Truck Repair, a provider of truck maintenance and repair with locations in Effingham and Mount Vernon, Illinois. The deal expands FleetPride’s service footprint and capabilities in central and southern Illinois, integrating RPM’s technicians and locations into FleetPride’s national parts and service network.

A fund advised by Norvestor Advisory has signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Colmec Holding AB, a leading provider of sustainable tire solutions for commercial vehicle fleets across the Nordics and Poland. The Eckerström family will remain a minority shareholder alongside management; Norvestor plans to accelerate growth organically and via acquisitions while driving digitalization and further investing in environmentally friendly offerings.

Chartwell Investments Entrepreneur & Founder Capital (CHIEF Capital) led a growth investment into Guardian Fleet Services, with financing and co-investment support from Source Capital, Backcast Partners and Morgan Stanley Private Credit. Guardian used proceeds to merge and acquire Emerald Transportation (Pompano Beach, FL) and Sapp's Wrecker Service (Savannah, GA), expanding Guardian's footprint to 23 locations and strengthening its towing, recovery and specialized transportation fleet across Florida and Georgia.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and services, has acquired the assets of family-owned TAM Truck & Trailer Service in Alto, Georgia. The acquisition expands FleetPride’s local service footprint and adds trailer repair, mobile maintenance and parts capabilities to its national network.

FleetPride, Inc. has acquired the assets of TML Truck & Trailer Repair, a full-service heavy-duty truck and equipment shop based in Ocala, Florida. The acquisition deepens FleetPride’s service and repair coverage in the region and brings TML’s team and capabilities into FleetPride’s national network.

Smith System Driver Improvement Institute, a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, has acquired Driving Dynamics, a Newark, Delaware-based provider of driver safety training for commercial fleets. The add-on expands Smith System's training capabilities (virtual and in-person classroom, behind-the-wheel, eLearning and risk management) and further consolidates its market position in fleet safety services.

FleetPride, the nation's largest distributor of truck and trailer parts and services, has acquired the assets of Berggren Diesel, a family-owned heavy-duty truck service operator with locations in Idaho Falls and Terreton, Idaho. The deal expands FleetPride's service footprint in Idaho and western Wyoming and brings Berggren's technicians and support staff into FleetPride's national parts and service network.

FleetPride, Inc. has acquired the assets of Harland Diesel Service, Inc., a full-service diesel shop in Ponca City, Oklahoma with 14 bays that has served the industry since 1979. The acquisition expands FleetPride's heavy-duty parts and service footprint in the region and is the company's eleventh acquisition of the year.

FleetPride, the nation's largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and services, has acquired the assets of Sam & Sons Truck Equipment of Houston from the Olivo family. The acquisition adds a 26,000-square-foot location with specialized liftgate repair and an onsite 100-foot paint booth, expands FleetPride's Houston footprint and preserves roles for the site's 35+ local employees.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts, acquired the assets of L&L Distributors (owned by Raymond Marchesiello), adding three Florida locations and 48 employees to its network. The acquisition expands FleetPride’s South Florida footprint and gives L&L customers access to FleetPride’s broader purchasing power and service capabilities.

GIC, OMERS Infrastructure and Wren House have signed an agreement to acquire Direct ChassisLink Inc. (DCLI) from investment funds managed by Apollo and EQT. DCLI, a leading U.S. intermodal chassis lessor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with ~410 employees and a fleet of over 151,000 marine and 100,000 domestic chassis, will be owned by the consortium; terms were not disclosed and the transaction is expected to close in H2 2022.

Nashville-based private investment firm Upside Growth Partners has acquired BOLT System, a Nashville-based cloud‑based SaaS transportation management system serving the trucking and logistics industry. Oaklyn Consulting advised BOLT's founders on strategic alternatives and initiated the transaction to provide founder liquidity and succession.

Boxwheel Trailer Leasing, a Denver-based semi-trailer rental and leasing operator backed by Crosstimbers Capital Group, acquired the assets of Fleet Trailer Leasing in El Paso, Texas. The acquisition expands Boxwheel's geographic footprint into the El Paso/Juarez market and follows prior branch acquisitions as the company grows its rental and leasing network.

Full Guard Capital has partnered with Henry's Wrecker Service to provide strategic capital and support to accelerate the towing company's growth plans, including geographic expansion and pursuit of add-on acquisitions. Henry's, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, operates a fleet serving Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia across municipal and commercial recovery and private-customer towing.

FleetPride, the nation’s largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and service, has acquired the assets of Portville Truck & Auto Repair (owned by Chris Travis), including affiliated locations Fat Cat's Recovery and Repair, I-86 Repair and Towing and Big Dog Heavy Duty Recovery and Repair. The deal expands FleetPride’s parts and service footprint into New York’s Southern Tier and northern Pennsylvania while retaining Chris Travis as general manager of the new FleetPride locations.

Epika Fleet Services, Inc. has acquired Truckers 24-Hr Road Service, Inc., a mobile and in-shop heavy-duty truck repair provider based in Milton, Florida. The deal strengthens Epika’s footprint along the I‑10 corridor in the Southeastern United States and expands its mobile preventative maintenance and repair capabilities for commercial fleet customers in Florida.

One Equity Partners has completed an investment in Montgomery Transport, a Birmingham, Alabama–based over-the-road flatbed carrier specializing in over-dimensional and heavy-haul freight. OEP said it intends to support Montgomery Transport’s growth and use the company as a platform for consolidation in the flatbed trucking sector; financial terms were not disclosed.

FleetPride, Inc. acquired the assets of Nationwide Truck Service, a family-owned heavy-duty truck repair and roadside service provider in Louisville, Kentucky. The deal expands FleetPride’s local service footprint and parts-service integration in Louisville while owner Eric Adkins (and his son Jake) remain involved to support a smooth transition and employee continuity.

Boxwheel Trailer Leasing, backed by Houston-based private equity firm Crosstimbers Capital Group, has acquired Prime Trailer to expand its semi-trailer rental, leasing, sales and service footprint into the Salt Lake City, Utah and Reno, Nevada markets. The deal is Boxwheel’s second acquisition in 2021 and is part of a growth strategy supported by Crosstimbers and financing from Hancock Whitney Bank.

An investor group led by Champlain Financial Corporation, alongside Desjardins Capital, Fondaction and Société Financière Bourgie, has completed a continuation-fund style recapitalization of JLD-Laguë, a leading Canadian John Deere equipment and Peterbilt truck dealership network. Management remains in place under CEO Terry Enepekides and the investors intend to support continued growth through organic initiatives and tactical acquisitions; financial terms were not disclosed.

Chicago-based private investment firm KCM Capital Partners completed a majority investment in Four State International Trucks, LLC ("4 State Trucks"), a Joplin, Missouri-based distributor of heavy-duty truck aftermarket parts and accessories. The transaction was completed in partnership with PNC Mezzanine Capital; founding family members Bryan and Brice Martin will continue to lead the company and retain a significant ownership stake.

Gamut Capital Management, in partnership with British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), signed a definitive agreement to invest in PS Logistics. The capital and strategic partnership will support PS Logistics — a Birmingham, Alabama-based flatbed transportation and logistics provider — to accelerate growth, expand capabilities and scale its asset- and broker-based platform across the continental United States. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Champlain Financial Corporation led a group of investors in a strategic investment in Les Transports Inter-Nord Inc. to support the company’s continued growth in the less-than-truckload (LTL) market. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Inter-Nord operates a fleet of more than 250 units and a >60,000 sq. ft. warehouse to serve a broad Quebec footprint.

Solera Holdings, Inc. acquired eDriving, a provider of smartphone-based driver risk management and telematics solutions, to expand its fleet-focused data and software capabilities into driver behavior and risk analytics. The deal integrates eDriving's Mentor app, FICO Safe Driving Score and Virtual Risk Manager platform with Solera's existing fleet solutions to offer end-to-end vehicle and driver performance services to commercial fleets globally.

American Trailer Rental Group (ATRG), backed by private equity sponsor Milton Street Capital, has acquired the rental fleet and location of Ervin Equipment in Laredo, Texas. The acquisition expands ATRG's Advantage Trailer Rental presence in south Texas as part of an ongoing roll-up strategy.

KC Piggyback Holdings (KCP), a holding company formed by Arc Industries, has acquired the stock of Harbor Division, a Southern California drayage and intermodal equipment storage operator. Coil Partners advised Harbor Division on the sale; the acquisition adds ~27 acres of paved, secure storage and strengthens KCP/Arc’s drayage platform in the Los Angeles / Southern California market.

FleetPride, Inc. has acquired the assets of Steubenville Truck Center in Steubenville, Ohio, expanding its parts and service footprint in the region. The location becomes FleetPride’s 50th Service Center and sixth branch in Ohio and will be integrated into FleetPride’s Karmak Fusion service management system to offer FleetPride solutions to national and regional fleets.

Wind Point Partners’ portfolio company A&R Logistics has acquired Luckey Trucking, a Streator, Illinois-based provider of dry bulk, liquid bulk, dry van transportation, warehousing and rail transloading services to the chemical industry. The add-on expands A&R’s chemical supply chain platform, increasing its specialized fleet, terminal footprint and railcar transloading capabilities while key members of the Luckey family and leadership join the combined business.

FleetPride, Inc. has acquired the assets of Southern Truck Center of Birmingham, Alabama, a family-founded truck and trailer parts and service operation started by Tim Walker in 2005. Mike Walker will continue to manage day-to-day operations; the acquisition complements FleetPride's nearby Birmingham branch and expands its local service footprint as part of FleetPride's ongoing acquisition-driven growth strategy.

FleetPride, Inc. acquired the assets of L&N Truck Service, a two-location heavy-duty truck service provider based in Ellenwood, Georgia (with a second location in Albany). The deal expands FleetPride’s service footprint and on-site/mobile maintenance capabilities in the southeastern United States to better support national and regional fleet customers.

American Trailer Rental Group (ATRG), a Milton Street Capital-backed platform, has acquired Arizona Storage Rental (ASR), adding three Arizona locations (Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson) and roughly 3,000 rental units to ATRG’s fleet. The deal is an add-on acquisition to expand ATRG’s geographic footprint in the U.S. Southwest and grow its national trailer rental and storage platform.

TELEO Capital Management completed the acquisition of Rand McNally, a Chicago-based provider of fleet management, telematics and route mileage optimization software, as well as printed atlases and education products. TELEO said it will support Rand McNally’s next stage of growth through product investment and both organic and inorganic expansion initiatives.

The Kenan Advantage Group, Inc. (KAG) has completed the acquisition of Fort Transfer Company, a Morton, Illinois–based liquid bulk chemical carrier and storage provider. The deal adds Fort Transfer’s terminals, 100 tractors, 249 trailers, ~2.6 million gallons of temperature-controlled storage capacity, and roughly 203 personnel (including 158 drivers/contractors and 45 operational staff) to KAG’s Specialty Products operations to expand capabilities and geographic coverage in chemical and agricultural markets.

FleetPride, Inc. acquired the assets of TransAm Truck and Trailer Parts of Rockford, Illinois from founder Frank Carlson. The deal expands FleetPride’s presence into the Rockford market and brings its total number of Illinois locations to eleven.