Richmond, VA — For the fifth consecutive year, shippers have ranked Estes the best value provider among all its national competitors, according to Mastio & Company’s annual U.S. LTL Customer Value & Loyalty Study.
In the 2026 study, more than 1,600 shipping decision makers evaluated the top less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers across 28 customer needs, and Estes’ results were as follows:
- Recognized as the No. 1 best value provider among all national carriers for the fifth straight year
- Ranked No. 2 overall among national LTL carriers
- Ranked No. 1 in ease of using the website
- Ranked No. 1 in accessorial and surcharge pricing, competitive pricing and rate stability
- Earned a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 62.8, well above the industry average of 54.4
- Satisfaction improved year-over-year
- Improved its overall performance, satisfaction and value scores from 2025
Estes posted its biggest gains this year in the areas shippers have long said matter most when choosing a carrier: damage-free delivery, on-time delivery, shortage-free delivery and timely customer-service response. Shippers also gave Estes some of its highest marks for freight tracking and tracing, driver professionalism, website usefulness and ease of scheduling.
“Being named the best value provider again means a lot, because it comes straight from the people who ship with us every day,” said Estes President and COO Webb Estes. “What I’m most proud of this year is where we got better. Fewer damages, fewer shortages, more on-time deliveries and faster answers when customers call us. That’s what really matters to a shipper. We’re going to keep investing in our people and our technology so shipping with Estes just keeps getting easier.”
Now in its 22nd edition, Mastio’s annual study is based on in-depth telephone interviews with shipping decision-makers, conducted by researchers with industry experience. It identifies and quantifies the needs of LTL shippers throughout the U.S. and is a nationally recognized measurement of carrier performance, based solely on customer feedback.
Learn more about the Mastio study here.
About Estes
Estes is North America’s largest privately owned freight carrier. As an asset-based transportation provider with a global footprint, Estes combines nearly a century of regional freight shipping expertise with the resources, reach, and reliability of a national carrier. Backed by its more than 300 North American service centers, nearly 7,000 next-day lanes, and fleet of more than 10,500 tractors, Estes is committed to getting America's freight where it needs to go, when it needs to get there. And with its continued investment in leading-edge technology, as well as the support of its more than 24,000 employees, Estes always goes the extra mile to deliver exceptional experiences that keep its customers coming back. The carrier’s comprehensive freight shipping solutions include Less Than Truckload (LTL), Guaranteed Delivery, Final Mile, Grocery, Food, and Beverage Logistics, Volume LTL and Truckload, and Custom Shipping. From short-haul to global freight forwarding—Estes does it all.
About Mastio
Mastio specializes in providing an independent third-party perspective for clients who want to truly assess their corporate image, discover their perceived level of customer value, find new customers, understand the strengths and weaknesses of the competition, and supplement their market intelligence. Our strength is in helping clients re-think established norms, eliminate internal biases, collect and analyze data and transform market research into actions that achieve superior business results.
