knx-20241231
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FORM 10-K
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(mark one)
☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024
or
☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 001-35007
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2002 West Wahalla Lane
Phoenix, Arizona85027
(Address of principal executive offices and Zip Code)
(602) 269-2000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock $0.01 Par Value KNX New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act: None
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐No☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large Accelerated Filer ☒ Accelerated Filer ☐
Non-Accelerated Filer ☐ Smaller Reporting Company ☐
Emerging Growth Company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of June 30, 2024, the aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates was $7,964,037,120, based on the closing price of our common stock as quoted on the NYSE as of such date.
There were 161,975,633 shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding as of February 17, 2025.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.
KNIGHT-SWIFT TRANSPORTATION HOLDINGS INC.
2024 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I PAGE
Glossary of Terms 2
Item 1. Business 6
Item 1A. Risk Factors 24
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 37
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 38
Item 2. Properties 41
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 43
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 43
PART II
Item 6. Reserved 44
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 74
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 75
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 124
Item 9B. Other Information 126
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 126
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 126
Item 11. Executive Compensation 126
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 127
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 128
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2024 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Term Definition
Annual Report Annual Report on Form 10-K
ACT AAA Cooper Transportation
ASC Accounting Standards Codification Topic (or subtopic)
ASU Accounting Standards Update
Board Knight-Swift's Board of Directors
BSBY Bloomberg Short-Term Bank Yield Index
CODM Chief operating decision maker
DHE The non-union regional LTL division of Dependable Highway Express, Inc.
DOT United States Department of Transportation
ELD Electronic Logging Device
Eleos Eleos Technologies, LLC
Embark Embark Technology Inc. and its related entities
EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
EPS Earnings Per Share
FASB United States Financial Accounting Standards Board
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2024 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Term Definition
FLSA United States Fair Labor Standards Act
FMCSA United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
GAAP United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
LTL Less-than-truckload
MME MME, Inc. and its subsidiary, Midwest Motor Express, Inc.
NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
NYSE New York Stock Exchange
RSU Restricted Stock Unit
SEC United States Securities and Exchange Commission
U.S. Xpress U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc. and its subsidiaries
UTXL UTXL Enterprises, Inc.
US The United States of America
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PART I
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical or current fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including without limitation:
•any projections of earnings, revenues, cash flows, dividends, capital expenditures, or other financial items,
•any statement of plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations,
•any statements concerning proposed acquisition plans, new services or developments,
•any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, and
•any statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.
In this Annual Report, forward-looking statements include statements we make concerning:
•our ability to gain market share and adapt to market and industry conditions, the ability of our infrastructure to support future growth, future market position, and the ability, desire, and effects of expanding our service offerings (including expansion of our LTL network), whether we grow organically or through potential acquisitions,
•our ability to recruit and retain qualified driving associates,
•future safety performance,
•future performance of our segments or businesses,
•future capital expenditures, equipment prices (including used equipment) and availability, our equipment purchasing or leasing plans, and mix of our owned versus leased revenue equipment, and our equipment turnover,
•the impact of pending legal proceedings,
•future insurance claims, coverage, coverage limits, premiums, and retention limits, including exposure through our Iron Insurance line of business,
•the expected freight environment, including freight demand, capacity, seasonality, and volumes,
•economic conditions and growth, including future inflation, consumer spending, supply chain conditions, labor supply and relations, and US Gross Domestic Product ("GDP") changes,
•expected liquidity and methods for achieving sufficient liquidity, including our expected need or desire to incur indebtedness and our ability to comply with debt covenants,
•future fuel prices and availability and the expected impact of fuel efficiency initiatives,
•future expenses, including depreciation and amortization, interest rates, cost structure, and our ability to control costs,
•future rates, operating profitability and margin, asset utilization, and return on capital,
•future third-party service provider relationships and availability, including pricing terms,
•future contracted pay rates with independent contractors, ability to lease equipment to independent contractors, and compensation arrangements with driving associates,
•future capital allocation, capital structure, capital requirements, and growth strategies and opportunities,
•future share repurchases and dividends,
•future tax rates,
•expected tractor and trailer fleet age, fleet size, and demand for trailer fleet,
•future investment in and deployment of new or updated technology or services,
•future classification of our independent contractors, including the impact of new laws and regulations regarding classification,
•political conditions and regulations, including conflicts, trade regulation, quotas, duties, or tariffs, and any future changes to the foregoing,
•the U.S. Xpress transaction, including integration efforts and any future effects of the acquisition, and
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•others.
Such statements may be identified by their use of terms or phrases such as "believe," "may," "could," "will," "would," "should," "expects," "designed," "likely," "foresee," "goals," "seek," "target," "forecast," "estimates," "projects," "anticipates," "plans," "address," "intends," "hopes," "strategy," "objective," "mission," "continue," "maintain," "ongoing," "outlook," "potential," "feel," and similar terms and phrases. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available operating, financial, and competitive information. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, which could cause future events and actual results to materially differ from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of this Annual Report, and various disclosures in our press releases, stockholder reports, and other filings with the SEC.
All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein, to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto, or any change in the events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Certain acronyms and terms used throughout this Annual Report are specific to our company, commonly used in our industry, or are otherwise frequently used throughout our document. Definitions for these acronyms and terms are provided in the "Glossary of Terms," available in the front of this document.
Company Overview
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. is one of North America's largest and most diversified freight transportation companies, providing multiple full truckload, LTL, intermodal, and other complementary services. Our objective is to operate our business with industry-leading margins, continued organic growth and growth through acquisitions while providing safe, high-quality, cost-effective solutions for our customers. Knight-Swift uses a nationwide network of business units and terminals in the US and Mexico to serve customers throughout North America. In addition to operating one of the country's largest truckload fleets, Knight-Swift also contracts with third-party carriers to provide a broad range of transportation services to our customers while creating quality driving jobs for our driving associates and successful business opportunities for independent contractors.
During 2024, we covered 1.8 billion loaded miles for shippers throughout North America, contributing to consolidated total revenue of $7.4 billion and consolidated operating income of $243.4 million. During 2024, the Truckload segment operated an average of 22,791 tractors (comprised of 20,644 company tractors and 2,147 independent contractor tractors) and 92,831 trailers. Our LTL segment operated an average of 3,569 tractors and 9,564 trailers. Additionally, the Intermodal segment operated an average of 615 tractors and 12,572 intermodal containers. Our four reportable segments are Truckload, LTL, Logistics, and Intermodal.
We have historically grown through a combination of organic growth and through mergers and acquisitions (discussed below). Mergers and acquisitions have enhanced our business and service offerings with additional terminals, driving associates, revenue equipment, and customer relationships. Our multiple service offerings, capabilities, and transportation modes enable us to transport, or arrange transportation for, general commodities for our diversified customer base throughout the US and Mexico using our equipment, information technology, and qualified driving associates and non-driver employees. We are committed to providing our customers with a wide range of full truckload, LTL, logistics, and intermodal services and continuing to invest in developing a range of solutions for our customers across multiple service offerings and transportation modes. Our overall objective is to provide full truckload, LTL, logistics, and intermodal services that, when combined, lead the industry in margin and growth, while providing efficient and cost-effective solutions for our customers.
Business Combinations and Investments
We became Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. on September 8, 2017 through the 2017 Merger transaction. Since 1966, we have continuously expanded the reach of our network, the depth of our capacity, and our service offerings through organic growth, as well as through the acquisition of twenty-five companies.
See Note 1 and Note 4 in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report, for more information regarding the 2017 Merger and our recent acquisitions. See Note 5 in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report, regarding our partnership agreements with Transportation Resource Partners and our other equity investments in transportation-related companies.
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Industry and Competition
The trucking industry has two primary types of motor carriers: full truckload and LTL. Full truckload carriers represent the largest part of the transportation supply chain for most retail and manufactured goods in North America and typically transport a full trailer (or container) of freight for a single customer from origin to destination without intermediate sorting and handling. By contrast, LTL carriers typically transport multiple shipments from multiple customers in the same trailer (or container). LTL shipments are then sent through a network of service centers where they may be conveyed to other trailers with nearby destinations. Generally, the full truckload industry is compensated based on miles, or length of haul, whereas the LTL industry is compensated based on freight density, weight, and length of haul. Overall, the US transportation and logistics industry is large, fragmented, and highly competitive. We compete with thousands of full truckload carriers, most of whom operate significantly smaller fleets than we do, as well as a number of national, regional, and inter-regional LTL carriers. Our trucking segments compete with other motor carriers for the services of driving associates, independent contractors, and management and other employees. To a lesser extent, our intermodal and logistics businesses compete with railroads, LTL carriers, logistics providers, and other transportation companies. Our logistics businesses compete with other logistics companies for the services of third-party capacity providers and management employees.
Our industry has recently encountered the following major economic cycles:
Period Economic Cycle
The principal means of competition in our industry are customer service and relationships, capacity, and price. In times of strong freight demand, customer service and capacity become increasingly important, and in times of weak freight demand, pricing becomes increasingly important. Most trucking contracts (other than dedicated contracts) do not guarantee truck availability or shipment volumes. Pricing is influenced by supply and demand.
The trucking industry faces the following primary challenges, which we believe we are well-positioned to address, as discussed under "Our Competitive Strengths" and "Our Mission and Company Strategy," below:
•tightening industry capacity;
•cumulative impacts of regulatory initiatives, such as ELDs, hours-of-service limitations for drivers, and others;
•uncertainty in the economic environment, including inflation, interest rates, and changing supply chain and consumer spending patterns;
•driver shortages;
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•increased insurance costs as significant verdicts and settlement amounts for accident claims impact the industry;
•significant and rapid fluctuations in fuel prices and availability, including in connection with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East; and
•increased prices for new revenue equipment, design changes of new engines, advancements in technology of revenue equipment, and volatility in the used equipment sales market.
Our Competitive Strengths
As a provider of multiple transportation solutions, including one of North America's largest truckload fleets, we believe that our principal competitive strengths are our regional presence, service quality, operating efficiency, cost control, technological enhancements in our revenue equipment and supporting back-office functions, and our diverse offerings that allow us to provide multiple transportation services and configuration of equipment that satisfies customers' needs.
Regional Truckload and LTL Presence
Operating Efficiency and Cost Control
Customer Service
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Using Technology that Enhances Our Business
Diverse Service Offerings with Multiple Transportation Solutions
Our Mission and Company Strategy
Our mission is to operate full truckload, LTL, logistics, intermodal and related businesses that are industry-leading in both margin and growth, while providing cost-effective solutions for our customers. Our success depends on our ability to efficiently and effectively manage our resources in providing transportation and logistics solutions to our customers, as well as our ability to leverage efficiencies and best practices across our brands. We evaluate growth opportunities based on customer demand and supply chain trends, availability of drivers and third-party capacity providers, expected returns on invested capital, expected net cash flows, and our company-specific capabilities.
Segment Operating Strategies
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Growth Strategies
Customers and Marketing
Marketing
Our marketing mission is to be a strategic, efficient transportation capacity partner for our customers by providing transportation and logistics solutions that are responsive to the unique needs of our customers. We deliver these capacity solutions through our network of owned assets, independent contractors, third-party capacity providers, and rail providers. The diverse and premium services we offer provide a comprehensive approach to supply chain solutions for our customers. At December 31, 2024, we had a sales staff of approximately 200 individuals across the US and Mexico, who work closely with management to establish and expand accounts. Our sales and marketing leaders are members of our senior management team, who are assisted by other sales professionals in each segment. Our sales team emphasizes our industry-leading service, environmental leadership, and ability to accommodate a variety of customer needs, while providing consistent capacity and financial strength and stability.
Customers
Our customers are typically large corporations in the retail (including discount, general merchandise, and online retail), food and beverage, consumer products, paper products, transportation and logistics, housing and building, automotive, and manufacturing industries. Many of our customers have extensive operations, geographically distributed locations, and diverse shipping needs.
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Consistent with industry practice, our typical customer contracts (other than dedicated contracts) do not guarantee shipment volumes by our customers or truck availability by us. This affords us and our customers some flexibility to negotiate rates in response to changes in freight demand and industry-wide truck capacity. Our dedicated services within the Truckload and LTL segments assign particular driving associates and revenue equipment to prescribed routes, pursuant to multi-year agreements. This dedicated service provides individual customers with a guaranteed source of capacity and allows our driving associates to have more predictable schedules and routes. Under our dedicated transportation services, we provide driving associates, equipment, maintenance, and, in some instances, transportation management services that supplement the customer's in-house transportation department.
A majority of our terminals are linked to our corporate information technology systems at our brand headquarters. The capabilities of this system and its software enhance our operating efficiency by providing cost-effective access to detailed information concerning equipment location and availability, drivers' hours of service, shipment tracking, on-time delivery status, and other specific customer requirements. The system also enables us to respond promptly and accurately to customer requests and assists us in optimally matching available equipment with customer loads. Additionally, our customers can track shipments and obtain copies of shipping documents via our website. We also provide electronic data interchange services to customers desiring these services.
We believe our fleet capacity, terminal network, customer service and suite of services offer a competitive advantage for major shippers, particularly in times of rising freight volumes when shippers must quickly access capacity across multiple facilities and regions.
We strive to maintain a diversified customer base. Services provided to our largest customer generated 12.6% and 11.2% of total revenue in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Revenue generated by our largest customer is reported in each of our reportable operating segments. No other customer accounted for 10% or more of total revenue in 2024 or 2023.
Our top customers drive a substantial portion of our total revenue, as follows:
•In 2024, our top 25, top 10, and top 5 customers accounted for 47.2%, 33.6%, and 24.1% of our total revenue, respectively.
•In 2023, our top 25, top 10, and top 5 customers accounted for 45.3%, 31.5%, and 22.7% of our total revenue, respectively.
Revenue Equipment
We operate a modern fleet of company tractors intended to help attract and retain driving associates, promote safe operations, and reduce maintenance and repair costs.
In 2024, we obtained our revenue equipment through a combination of cash purchases and finance leases. We typically obtain tractors and trailers manufactured to our specifications in order to meet a wide variety of customer needs. Growth of our tractor and trailer fleet is determined by market conditions and our experience and expectations regarding equipment utilization. In acquiring revenue equipment, we consider a number of factors, including economy, price, rate, economic environment, technology, warranty terms, manufacturer support, driving associate comfort, and resale value. We maintain strong relationships with our equipment vendors and have the financial flexibility to react as market conditions dictate.
Our current approach is to replace our tractors between four and nine years after purchase and to replace our trailers every seven or more years. Changes in the current market for used tractors and trailers, regulatory changes, and difficult market and supply chain conditions faced by tractor and trailer manufacturers may result in price increases that may affect the period of time for which we operate our equipment.
Our newer equipment has enhanced features, which we believe tends to lower the overall life cycle costs by reducing safety-related expenses, lowering repair and maintenance expenses, improving fuel economy, and improving driving associate satisfaction. In 2025 and beyond, we will continue to monitor the appropriateness of this relatively short tractor trade-in cycle against the lower capital expenditure and financing costs of a longer tractor trade-in cycle, based on current and future business needs.
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Human Capital
Employees
The strength of our company is our people, working together with common goals. As of December 31, 2024, our full-time employee headcount was comprised of:
Company driving associates (including driver trainees) 25,100
Technicians and other equipment maintenance personnel 1,500
Corporate and terminal leadership and support personnel 8,700
As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately 1,700 Trans-Mex driving associates in Mexico that were represented by a union.
Company Driving Associates
We recognize that the recruitment, training, and retention of a professional driving associate workforce, which is one of our most valuable assets, is essential to our continued growth and meeting the service requirements of our customers. In order to attract and retain safe driving associates who are committed to the highest levels of customer service and safety, we focus our operations for driving associates around a collaborative and supportive team environment. To help retain driving associates we provide late model and comfortable equipment, direct communication with management, competitive wages and benefits, and other incentives designed to encourage driving associate safety, retention, and long-term employment. Some examples of these incentive programs include our Million Miler, military apprenticeship, and Drive for a Degree programs. To help recruit drivers, we have established various driving academies across the US. Our academies are strategically located in areas where external driver-training organizations were lacking. In other areas of the US, we have contracted with driver training schools, which are managed by third parties. There are certain minimum qualifications for candidates to be accepted into the academy, including passing the DOT physical examination and drug/alcohol screening, which includes hair follicle testing, a qualification standard more stringent than required by the DOT.
Terminal Staff
Most of our large terminals are staffed with terminal leaders, fleet leaders, driver leaders, planners, safety coordinators, shop leaders, technicians, and customer service representatives. Our terminal leaders work with driver leaders, customer service representatives, and other operations personnel to coordinate the needs of both our customers and our driving associates. Terminal leaders are also responsible for serving existing customers in their areas. Fleet leaders supervise driver leaders, who are responsible for the general operation of our trucks and their driving associates, focusing on driving associate retention, productivity per truck, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency (with respect to driver-controllable idle time), safety, and scheduled maintenance. Customer service representatives are assigned specific customers to ensure specialized, high-quality service, and frequent customer contact.
Succession Planning and Talent Management
We regularly review talent development and succession plans to identify and develop a pipeline of talent to maintain business operations. We understand the potential costs and risks of bringing in an outside executive officer and that businesses are often, but not always, more successful in promoting internal candidates. Accordingly, the Board makes an effort to identify potential successors for those positions long in advance of any potential positional vacancies, perform skills gap analyses for those internal candidates, and provide training and exposure on those gap areas to those candidates in order to develop better potential successors. The Board is primarily responsible for succession planning for the CEO, but also participates in succession planning discussions for other executive officer positions. We believe that our culture, compensation structure, long-term equity program, and robust training and development program provide motivation for talented leaders to remain with the Company.
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Independent Contractors
In addition to our employed driving associates, we enter into contractor agreements with third parties who own and operate tractors (or hire their own driving associates to operate the tractors) that service our customers. We pay these independent contractors for their services, based on a contracted rate per mile. By operating safely and productively, independent contractors can improve their own profitability and ours. Independent contractors are responsible for most costs incurred for owning and operating their tractors. In 2024, independent contractors comprised 8.2% of our total fleet, as measured by average tractor count.
Safety and Insurance
Safety
We are committed to safe and secure operations. We conduct an intensive driver qualification process, including defensive driving training. We require prospective drivers to meet higher qualification standards than those required by the DOT, including extensive background checks and hair follicle drug testing. We regularly communicate with drivers to promote safety and instill safe work habits through effective use of various media and safety review sessions. We dedicate personnel and resources to ensure safe operation and regulatory compliance. We employ technology to assist us in managing risks associated with our business. We have event recorders in substantially all of our tractors, which are used daily by drivers and operations leaders to provide feedback and coaching in regard to driving behaviors. In addition, we have an innovative recognition program for driver safety performance and emphasize safety through our equipment specifications and maintenance programs. Our Corporate Directors of Safety review all accidents and report weekly to leadership.
Insurance
The primary claims arising in our business consist of auto liability, including personal injury, property damage, physical damage, and cargo loss. We self-insure for a significant portion of our claims exposure and related expenses. We also maintain insurance that covers our directors and officers for losses and expenses arising out of claims, based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers. While under dispatch and our operating authority, the independent contractors we contract with are covered by our liability coverage and self-insurance retention limits. However, each is responsible for physical damage to his or her own equipment, occupational accident coverage, and liability exposure while the truck is used for non-company purposes. Additionally, fleet operators are responsible for any applicable workers' compensation requirements for their employees.
We insure certain casualty risks through our wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiaries, Mohave and Red Rock. Mohave and Red Rock provide reinsurance associated with a share of our automobile liability risk. In addition to insuring a proportionate share of our corporate casualty risk, Mohave provides reinsurance to third-party insurance companies who provide insurance coverage for independent contractors, as well as affiliated carriers through the first quarter of 2024.
Based on results of operations of this business, including the continued unfavorable development of insurance reserves, the Company ceased all third-party insurance operations and canceled any remaining policies as of March 31, 2024.
Please refer to Note 10 in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report for more information about our insurance policies, self-insurance retention limits, and the third-party insurance carrier business.
Fuel
We actively manage our fuel purchasing network in an effort to maintain adequate fuel supplies and reduce our Truckload and LTL fuel costs. Additionally, we utilize a fuel surcharge program to pass a majority of increases in fuel costs to our customers. In 2024, we purchased 13.5% of our fuel in bulk at our locations across the US and Mexico. We purchased substantially all of the remainder through a network of retail truck stops with which we have negotiated volume purchasing discounts. The volumes we purchase at terminals and through the fuel network vary based on procurement costs and other factors. We seek to reduce our fuel costs by routing our driving associates to truck stops when fuel prices at such stops are more affordable than the bulk rate paid for fuel at our terminals. We primarily store fuel in above-ground storage tanks at most of our other bulk fueling terminals. We believe that we are
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sufficiently in compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations relating to the storage and dispensing of fuel.
Seasonality
See Note 1 in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report, regarding the impact of seasonality on our operations.
Environmental Regulation
General
We have bulk fuel storage and fuel islands at many of our terminals, as well as vehicle maintenance, repair, and washing operations at some of our facilities, which exposes us to certain environmental risks. Soil and groundwater contamination have occurred at some of our facilities in prior years, for which we have been responsible for remediating the environmental contamination. Also, a small percentage of our total shipments contain hazardous materials, which are generally rated as low to medium-risk, and subject us to a wide array of regulation. In the past, we have been responsible for the costs of clean-up of cargo and diesel fuel spills caused by traffic accidents or other events.
We have instituted programs to monitor and mitigate environmental risks and maintain compliance with applicable environmental laws governing the hauling, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials, fuel spillage or seepage, emissions from our vehicles and facilities, engine-idling, discharge and retention of storm water, and other environmental matters. As part of our safety and risk management program, we periodically perform internal environmental reviews. We are a Charter Partner in the EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership, a voluntary program promoting energy efficiency and air quality. We believe that our operations are in material compliance with current laws and regulations and do not know of any existing environmental condition that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on our business or operating results.
If we are held responsible for the cleanup of any environmental incidents or conditions caused by our operations or business, or if we are found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations, we could be subject to clean-up costs and other liabilities, including substantial fines, penalties and/or civil and criminal liability, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business and results of operations. We have paid penalties for spills and violations in the past; however, they have not been material to our financial results or position.
Greenhouse Gas ("GHG") Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards
California ARB — In 2008, the State of California's Air Resources Board ("ARB") approved the Heavy-Duty Vehicle GHG Emission Reduction Regulation in efforts to reduce GHG emissions from certain long-haul tractor-trailers that operate in California by requiring them to utilize technologies that improve fuel efficiency (regardless of where the vehicle is registered). The regulation, which became effective in 2010, required owners of long-haul tractors and 53-foot trailers to be EPA SmartWay certified or replace or retrofit their vehicles with aerodynamic technologies and low-rolling resistance tires. The regulation also contained certain emissions and registration standards for refrigerated trailers.
In 2019, the California Phase 2 Standards, which generally align with the federal Phase 2 Standards (the "Phase 2 Standards," discussed in further detail below), with some minor additional requirements, became final.
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The Advanced Clean Trucks ("ACT") regulation became effective in 2021, requiring original equipment manufacturers to begin shifting towards greater production and sales of zero-emission heavy-duty tractors starting with model year 2024. Under ACT, by 2045, every new tractor sold in California will need to be zero-emission. The most aggressive ACT standards apply to Class 4-8 trucks, which range from 14,000-33,000 pounds, by requiring that 9% of such trucks be zero emission beginning in 2024 and increasing to 75% by 2035. Similar (albeit lower) increasing zero emission requirements apply to Class 2b-3 trucks, and Class 7-8 trucks between 2024 and 2035. Among other impacts, ACT could affect the cost and/or supply of traditional diesel tractors. It has also led to similar legislation in other states, with several already adopting ACT, and a number of other states either considering adoption of ACT or affirmatively conducting a preliminary rule making process to that effect. In January 2024, the Advanced Clean Fleets ("ACF") regulation became effective, also aimed at transitioning to zero emission vehicles. ACF is a purchase requirement for medium and heavy-duty fleets to adopt an increasing percentage of zero emission trucks, designed to complement the sell-side obligations of ACT. However, given legal challenges to the ACF and a lack of public support for environmental regulation from the current administration, ARB withdrew its request for the EPA to provide a waiver of certain federal regulations necessary for ARB to impose the environmental restrictions and mandates in the ACF that are more stringent than federal law, which effectively tabled the ACF. If ARB seeks to adopt and implement the ACF in the future, it could materially and negatively impact our business by increasing our compliance obligations, operating costs, and related expenses.
The periodic testing portion of California’s Clean Truck Check (as a part of ARB's Clean Truck program), known as Phase 3 of the Clean Truck Check, began in July 2024. Under Phase 3, heavy duty vehicles are subject to periodic emissions testing and annual compliance fees, increasing our operating costs and related expenses.
Additionally, in October 2023, California enacted two bills into law, Senate Bill 253 ("SB 253") and Senate Bill 261 ("SB 261"), which could require certain companies doing business in California to disclose greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions and climate-related financial risks, with reporting beginning in 2026. SB 253 requires companies that exceed $1 billion in annual revenue and that do business in California to publicly disclose their GHG emissions, while SB 261 requires companies doing business in California and earning annual revenue exceeding $500 million to report on their climate-related financial risks and measures taken to mitigate such risks on or before January 2026. Further legislation was enacted in 2024, delaying effectiveness of the final regulations under SB 253 until July 2025, and permitting subsidiaries of reporting companies to file on a consolidated basis with their parent companies. These laws are currently facing legal challenges, which could result in delays or modifications to the laws. Additional reporting requirements will likely result in increased compliance costs.
EPA and NHTSA — The EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") have begun taking coordinated steps in support of a new generation of clean vehicles and engines through reduced GHG emissions and improved fuel efficiency at a national level.
Originally, the rule was written so that tractors and certain trailer types would be subject to the Phase 2 Standards beginning with model-years 2018 and 2021 respectively, increasing in and phasing in completely by model-year 2027. This rule would have marked the first time federal mandates would have been applied to trailers, with respect to aerodynamics and low-rolling resistance tires. The final rule was effective in December 2016. However, implementation of the Phase 2 Standards as they relate to trailers was successfully challenged in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. As a result, the Phase 2 Standards will only require reductions in emissions and fuel consumption for tractors. The Company’s new tractor purchases in 2024 complied with the emission and fuel consumption reductions required by the Phase 2 Standards.
Even though the trailer provisions of the Phase 2 Standards have been removed, we will still need to ensure the majority of our fleet is compliant with the California Phase 2 Standards.
In 2022, the EPA adopted a final rule that established new emissions standards of nitrogen oxides for heavy-duty motor vehicles beginning with model year 2027 being more than 80% stronger than current emission standards, with the intent to reduce heavy-duty emissions by almost 50% from 2022 levels by 2045. The EPA has indicated that the December 2022 rule is the first part of a three part plan focusing on greenhouse gas emissions, which is commonly referred to as the "Cleaner Trucks Initiative," or the "Clean Trucks Plan." In April 2023, the EPA released the second and third parts to the Clean Trucks Plan, including a proposed rule relating to GHG standards for heavy-duty vehicles, known as "Phase 3," to the EPA's GHG program. A final rule with respect to the Phase 3 regulations was issued in March 2024 and establishes new GHG emission standards for heavy-duty motor vehicles which are phased-in starting with model year 2027 and increasing in stringency annually through model year 2032.
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Complying with these and any future GHG regulations enacted by California’s ARB, the EPA, the NHTSA and/or any other state or federal governing body has increased and will likely continue to increase the cost of our new tractors, may increase the cost of new trailers, may require us to retrofit certain of our trailers, may increase our maintenance costs, and could impair equipment productivity and increase our operating costs, particularly if such costs are not offset by potential fuel savings. These adverse effects, combined with the uncertainty as to the reliability of the newly designed diesel engines and the residual values of our equipment, could materially increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations. We cannot predict, however, the extent to which our operations and productivity will be impacted. We will continue monitoring our compliance with federal and state GHG regulations.
Climate-change Proposals
Federal and state lawmakers are considering a variety of other climate-change proposals related to carbon emissions and GHG emissions. The proposals could potentially limit carbon emissions within certain states and municipalities, which continue to restrict the location and amount of time that diesel-powered tractors (like ours) may idle.
These restrictions could force us to purchase on-board power units that do not require the engine to idle or to alter our driving associates' behavior, which could result in a decrease in productivity, or increase in driving associate turnover.
Industry Regulation
Our operations are regulated and licensed by various federal, state, and local government agencies in North America, including the DOT, the FMCSA, and the US Department of Homeland Security, among others. Our company, as well as our driving associates and independent contractors, must comply with enacted governmental regulations regarding safety, equipment, and operating methods. Examples include regulation of equipment weight, equipment dimensions, driver hours-of-service, driver eligibility requirements, including drug and alcohol testing, on-board reporting of operations, and ergonomics. The following discussion presents recently enacted federal, state, and local regulations that could have an impact on our operations.
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Bill
Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse — There is a national Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a database containing information about violations of the FMCSA's drug and alcohol testing program for holders of commercial driver's licenses. Currently, the Company is required to (1) report drug and alcohol violations to the Clearinghouse; (2) query the Clearinghouse regarding drug and alcohol violations for current and prospective employees prior to permitting such employees to operate a commercial motor vehicle ("CMV"); and (3) query the Clearinghouse for each currently employed driver annually. In November 2024, a new rule referred to by the FMCSA as "Clearinghouse II," a program which relates to drivers with drug and alcohol violations, took effect. Under Clearinghouse II, a driver with a drug or alcohol violation resulting in a "Prohibited" status in the Clearinghouse may not operate a CMV and must complete the FMCSA's return-to-duty education, treatment, and testing prior to regaining CMV driving privileges. With Clearinghouse II now in effect, states will be required to query the Clearinghouse when issuing, renewing, transferring, or upgrading a commercial driver’s license and must revoke a driver’s commercial driving privileges if such driver is prohibited from driving a motor vehicle for one or more drug or alcohol violations. It is expected that the rule may exacerbate the already existing shortage of drivers.
In 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services ("DHHS") announced proposed mandatory guidelines to allow employers to drug test truck drivers and other federal workers for pre-employment and random testing using hair specimens. However, the proposal also requires a second sample using either urine or an oral fluid test if a hair test is positive, if a donor is unable to provide a sufficient amount of hair for faith-based or medical reasons, or due to an insufficient amount or length of hair. DHHS indicated the two-test approach is intended to protect federal workers from issues that have been identified as limitations of hair testing, and related legal deficiencies identified in prior court cases. In 2022, an industry group known as the Trucking Alliance, of which the Company is a member, sought an exemption from the FMCSA that would allow positive hair specimen tests to be uploaded into the Clearinghouse. This request was denied by the FMCSA, however, noting they cannot act until DHHS finalizes these guidelines, which have been delayed by DHHS until May 2025. Additionally, in 2022 the DOT issued a notice of proposed rule making that would include oral fluid testing as an alternative to urine testing for purposes of the
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DOT’s drug testing program, with a goal of improving the integrity and effectiveness of the drug testing program, along with potential cost savings to regulated parties. In June 2023, a final rule became effective amending the DOT’s drug testing program to include oral fluid testing; however, implementation cannot take effect until DHHS approves at least two laboratories to conduct oral fluid testing. Currently, DHHS has not approved any laboratories. Any changes to drug testing programs may reduce the number of available drivers. We currently perform hair follicle testing and will continue to monitor any developments in this area. Finally, federal drug regulators have announced a proposal to add fentanyl to a drug testing panel that would detect the use of such drug among safety-sensitive federal employees, which would include truck drivers if adopted by the DOT. Currently, fentanyl testing is expected to be added to the urine panel beginning as soon as July 2025.
Entry-Level Driver Training — Effective in 2022, the FMCSA established minimum training standards (the "ELDT Regulations") which unified curriculum to be followed and completed by certain individuals applying for (or upgrading) a Class A or Class B commercial driver's license, or obtaining a hazardous materials, passenger, or school bus endorsement on their commercial driver's license. Such individuals are subject to the entry-level driver training requirements and must complete a prescribed curriculum of theory and behind-the-wheel instruction prior to taking the skills test. Training schools and other programs (including ours) are required to implement the prescribed curriculum and register with the FMCSA's Training Provider Registry to certify that their program meets the classroom and driving standards. We are also required to comply with this rule in the course of operating our driving schools.
Brokerage Operations — In January 2024, the FMCSA implemented more oversight of truck brokers, freight forwarders, and the surety bond and trust companies that back them modifying regulations in five areas: (1) assets readily available, (2) immediate suspension of broker/freight forwarder operating authority, (3) surety or trust responsibilities, (4) enforcement authority, and (5) entities eligible to serve as BMC-85 trustees. Among other changes, the rule allows brokers or freight forwarders to meet regulatory requirements to have “assets readily available” by maintaining trusts that meet certain criteria, including that they can be liquidated within seven calendar days of an event that triggers a payment from the trust. The rule also stipulates that "available financial security" falls below $75,000 when there is a drawdown on the broker or freight forwarder’s surety bond or trust fund. Compliance with this final rule has been pushed back until January 2026. Implementation and compliance with these changes may negatively impact our business by increasing our compliance obligations, operating costs, and related expenses. Additionally, in October 2024, the FMCSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking relating to brokerage operations which, among other things, proposes to increase transparency and the maintenance of recordkeeping procedures. It is uncertain what changes, if any, will result from the notice of proposed rulemaking.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Among other things, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("IIJA"), signed into in 2021, created an apprenticeship program for drivers ages 18 to 20 years old to eventually qualify to drive commercial trucks in interstate commerce. The FMCSA announced the establishment of this apprenticeship program in 2022 in an effort to begin to help the industry’s ongoing driver shortage. This program, known as the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program ("SDAP"), is open to 18 to 20-year-old drivers who already hold intrastate commercial driver’s licenses and sets a strict training regimen for participating drivers and carriers to comply with. Motor carriers interested in participating must complete an application for participation and submit monthly data on an apprentice’s driver activity, safety outcomes, and additional supporting information. The SDAP is limited to 3,000 driver-apprentices at any given time, with new driver-apprentices allowed into the program to replace those that leave or age out. If not renewed, the SDAP is currently set to conclude in November 2025. In May 2023, the DRIVE Safe Integrity Act of 2023 was introduced, which supports participation in the SDAP and would permit 18- to 20-year-olds to operate across state lines if data from the SDAP does not indicate such drivers are less safe than current CMV drivers. Whether this legislation will ultimately become law is uncertain. It remains unclear whether any regulatory changes will stem from the apprenticeship program.
The IIJA also required that the FMCSA clarify the differences between brokers, bona fide agents, and dispatch services, and to further specify its interpretation of the definitions of "broker" and "bona fide agents." In June 2023, FMCSA issued final guidance on the definitions of “broker” and “bona fide agents,” in which the distinction between the two largely hinges upon control and whether the person or company is engaged in the allocation of traffic between motor carriers. Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries currently hold FMCSA brokerage authority, so while the impact of this guidance remains to be seen, the Company does not currently anticipate an adverse impact on its operations.
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Hours-of-service
From time to time, the FMCSA proposes and implements changes to regulations impacting hours-of-service. Such changes can negatively impact our productivity and affect our operations and profitability by reducing the number of hours per day or week our driving associates and independent contractors may operate and/or disrupting our network. No such changes are currently proposed. In recent years, the FMCSA has made changes to the hours-of-service rules that provide greater flexibility to drivers regarding their 30-minute rest breaks, an extension of the shorthaul exemption by an additional two hours, and an extension of duty time for drivers encountering adverse weather by up to two hours. Certain industry groups have challenged these hours-of-service rules in court, and while the FMCSA's final rule has been upheld, it remains unclear if industry or other groups will bring additional challenges against the FMCSA's final rule. Any future changes to hours-of-service regulations could materially and adversely affect our operations and profitability. Future rulemaking relating to ELDs may occur in the future, which may affect our ELD technology, compliance, and compliance efforts.
Safety and Fitness Ratings
There are currently two methods of evaluating the safety and fitness of carriers: CSA, which evaluates and ranks fleets on certain safety-related standards by analyzing data from recent safety events and investigation results, and the DOT safety rating, which is based on an on-site investigation and affects a carrier's ability to operate in interstate commerce. Additionally, the FMCSA has proposed rules in the past that would change the methodologies used to determine carrier safety and fitness.
DOT Safety Rating — The DOT safety rating is currently the only safety measurement system that has a direct impact on a carrier's ability to operate in interstate commerce. Our motor carriers currently have a satisfactory DOT safety rating, which is the best available rating under the current safety rating scale. If we were to receive a conditional or unsatisfactory DOT safety rating, it could adversely affect our business, as some of our existing customer contracts require a satisfactory DOT safety rating.
CSA — In December 2010, the FMCSA introduced CSA, an enforcement and compliance model that ranks carriers on seven categories of safety-related data. The seven categories of safety-related data, currently include Unsafe Driving, Hours-of-Service Compliance, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Hazardous Materials Compliance, and Crash Indicator (such categories known as "BASICs"). Carriers are grouped by category with other carriers that have a similar number of safety events (i.e., crashes, inspections, or violations) and carriers are ranked and assigned a rating percentile or score to prioritize them for interventions if they are above a certain threshold.
Certain CSA scores were initially published and made available to the general public. However, in 2015, as part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation ("FAST") Act, Congress mandated that the FMCSA remove all CSA scores from public view until a more comprehensive study regarding the effectiveness of CSA improving truck safety could be completed. For more information about proposed changes to the CSA program, please refer to the "Safety Fitness Determination" section, below. The FMCSA has been conducting a study on the causation of crashes, expanding on its previous Large Truck Crash Causation Study, known as the Crash Causal Factors Program ("CCFP"). Phase 1 of the CCFP is designed to study crashes of heavy-duty trucks, and the Phase 1 final report is expected in 2029. However, any changes that increase the likelihood of us receiving unfavorable scores could adversely affect our results of operations and profitability.
In 2020 the FMCSA announced permanent effectiveness of a pilot program that does not count a crash in which a motor carrier was not at fault when calculating the carrier’s safety measurement profile, called the Crash Preventability Demonstration Program ("CPDP"). The CPDP expanded the types of eligible crashes, modified the Safety Measurement System ("SMS") to exclude crashes with not preventable determinations from the prioritization algorithm and noted the not preventable determinations in the Pre-Employment Screening Program.
Currently, CSA scores generally do not have a direct impact on a carrier's safety rating. However, the occurrence of unfavorable scores in one or more categories may affect driving associate recruiting and retention by causing qualified driving associates to seek employment with other carriers, cause our customers to direct their business away from us and to carriers with more favorable scores, subjecting us to an increase in compliance reviews and roadside inspections, or cause us to incur greater than expected expenses in our attempts to improve unfavorable scores, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations and profitability.
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Safety Fitness Determination —In February 2023, the FMCSA published a notice of proposed changes to its SMS methodology, including the BASIC categories. In August 2023, the FMCSA announced in an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments that it was interested in developing a new methodology to determine whether a carrier is fit to operate CMVs.Additionally, the US Government Accountability Office made a suggestion in 2023 to the FMCSA to make complaint data public. In November 2024, the FMCSA published a notice announcing a revised SMS methodology implementing certain changes proposed in the February 2023 notice, including, among other changes, (i) rebranding BASICs as "Compliance Categories" and revising certain categories, (ii) consolidating existing road violations into simplified and distinct violation groups and simplifying the scale used to measure the severity of violations, (iii) adjusting intervention thresholds, and (iv) revising the SMS methodology to focus more heavily on recent violations. Whether this revised SMS methodology will take effect is uncertain, however, any change which results in the Company or its subsidiaries receiving less favorable scores, or an increased visibility of less favorable scores or of complaints against the Company may have an adverse effect on our operations and financial position. Moreover, in September 2023, the FMCSA announced a proposal that would allow carriers to undergo an appeal process for requests of data review, which are in relation to such requests through the agency’s DataQs system. The proposal, if adopted, may provide an opportunity for the Company to appeal in certain scenarios which could result in more favorable outcomes.
Equipment Developments
In 2021, legislation was reintroduced into the US House of Representatives and would require commercial motor vehicles with a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds to be equipped with a speed limiter that would limit the vehicle's speed to no more than 65 miles per hour. Whether this legislation will ultimately become law is uncertain. The FMCSA issued a notice of intent announcing its intention to propose a rule during 2023 which will require certain commercial vehicles to be equipped with speed limiters; however, no final rule was proposed. It is now expected that the DOT will issue a rule sometime in May 2025. While we electronically govern the speed of substantially all of our company tractors and require our independent contractors to comply with the Company's speed policy, such legislation could result in a decrease in fleet production and driver availability, either of which could adversely affect our business or operations.
In 2022, the FMCSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that would require fleets and independent contractors to equip their trucks with unique electronic identification systems designed to streamline roadside inspections and provide transparency and accountability in day-to-day trucking operations. The petition was generally disfavored by transportation industry participants, citing, among other things, the petition’s failure to address privacy and data security risks. It remains to be seen what rules, if any, may stem from this notice. However, in February 2023 the FMCSA announced a new operational test for monitoring and enforcing driver and motor carrier safety compliance standards. In March 2024, the FMCSA began proof-of-concept testing to determine whether the technology required for electronic identification systems is sufficient and the information and data being provided is secure, reliable, and useful for the FMCSA.
In February 2023, the FMCSA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking requesting additional information on automated driving systems ("ADS") and seeking comment on regulatory approaches that would enable it to obtain relevant safety information and the current and anticipated size of the population of carriers operating ADS-equipped commercial motor vehicles. Public comment closed in March 2023, and it remains to be seen, what, if any, final rules will result therefrom.
The FMCSA, in conjunction with the NHTSA, have announced their intention to propose a rule for performance standards and maintenance requirements for automatic emergency braking on heavy trucks. In June 2023, the FMCSA and NHTSA issued a joint proposed rule that would require automated emergency braking on all new heavy-duty trucks. Additionally, in April 2023, NHTSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that would require side underride guards to be installed on all new heavy-duty trucks. Public comment on the FMCSA and NHTSA joint proposed rule and the NHTSA notice of proposed rulemaking closed in 2023, and, while a final rule with respect to automatic braking is expected to be issued in 2025, it remains to be seen, what, if any, final rules will stem therefrom.
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Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 ("FSMA")
In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") published a final rule establishing requirements for shippers, loaders, carriers by motor vehicle and rail vehicle, and receivers engaged in the transportation of food, to use sanitary transportation practices to ensure the safety of the food they transport as part of the FSMA. This rule sets forth requirements related to among other things, equipment used to transport food, measures taken during such transportation, personnel training, and record retention. We believe we have been in compliance with these requirements since that time. However, if we are found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations related to the FSMA, or if we transport food or goods that are contaminated or are found to cause illness and/or death, we could be subject to substantial fines, lawsuits, penalties and/or criminal and civil liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
As the FDA continues its efforts to modernize food safety, it is likely additional food safety regulations will take effect in the future. In 2020, the FDA released its "New Era of Smarter Food Safety" blueprint, which creates a ten year roadmap to create a more digital, traceable and safer food system. This blueprint builds on the work done under the FSMA, generally requiring persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the FDA's "Food Traceability List" to maintain detailed records of key data elements for critical tracking events in a manner that can be provided to the FDA within 24 hours of request. It is still unclear what impact of the Food Traceability Rule will have on the Company and others in the industry, but further regulation in this area could negatively affect our business by increasing our compliance obligations and related expenses going forward.
Legislation Regarding Independent Contractors
Tax and other regulatory authorities, as well as independent contractors themselves, have sought in the past to assert that independent contractors in the trucking industry are employees rather than independent contractors. Federal legislators continue to introduce legislation concerning the classification of independent contractors as employees, including legislation that proposes to increase the tax and labor penalties against employers who intentionally or unintentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors and are also found to have violated employees' overtime or wage requirements. The Protecting the Rights to Organize ("PRO") Act was passed by the US House of Representatives and received by the US Senate in 2021, which was further sent to the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. In 2023, a substantially similar bill was introduced to the US House of Representatives and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. These bills propose to apply the "ABC Test" for classifying workers under Federal Fair Labor Standards Act claims. In January 2024, the Department of Labor published a final rule regarding independent contractor classification, which took effect in 2024. The final rule rescinded the Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Under the 2024 rule, workers’ relationship with a principal are classified under six factors, including: (1) opportunity for profit and loss depending on managerial skill; (2) investments by the worker and the principal; (3) degree of permanence of the relationship; (4) nature and degree of control; (5) extent to which worker is integral to the principal’s business; and (6) skill and initiative, together with a provision for unspecified other factors, to determine if such worker should be classified as an independent contractor. Additionally, federal legislators have sought to:
•abolish the current safe harbor allowing taxpayers meeting certain criteria to treat individuals as independent contractors if they are following a long-standing, recognized practice,
•extend the FLSA to independent contractors, and
•impose notice requirements based upon employment or independent contractor status and fines for failure to comply.
Some states have adopted initiatives to increase their revenues from items such as unemployment, workers' compensation, and income taxes, and we believe a reclassification of independent contractors as employees would help states with this initiative. Federal and state taxing and other regulatory authorities and courts apply a variety of standards in their determination of independent contractor status.
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Recently, courts in certain states have issued decisions that could result in a greater likelihood that independent contractors would be judicially classified as employees in such states. Further, class actions and other lawsuits have been filed against us and other members of our industry seeking to reclassify independent contractors as employees for a variety of purposes, including workers' compensation and health care coverage. Our defense of such class actions and other lawsuits has not always been successful, and we have been subject to adverse judgments with respect to such matters. In addition, carriers such as us that operate or have operated lease-purchase programs have been more susceptible to lawsuits seeking to reclassify independent contractors that have engaged in such programs. If our independent contractors were determined to be our employees, we would incur additional exposure under federal and state tax, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, labor, employment, and tort laws, which could potentially include prior periods, as well as potential liability for employee benefits and tax withholdings. We currently observe and monitor our compliance with current related and applicable laws and regulations, but we cannot predict whether future laws and regulations, judicial decisions, or settlements regarding the classification of independent contractors will adversely affect our business or operations.
In 2019, California enacted A.B. 5 ("AB5"), a new law that changed the landscape of the state’s treatment of employees and independent contractors. AB5 provides that the three-pronged "ABC Test" must be used to determine worker classification in wage-order claims. Under the ABC Test, a worker is presumed to be an employee and the burden to demonstrate their independent contractor status is on the hiring company through satisfying all three of the following criteria:
•the worker is free from control and direction in the performance of services;
•the worker is performing work outside the usual course of the business of the hiring company;
•the worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business.
How AB5 will be enforced is still to be determined. While it was set to go into effect in January 2020, it was subject to various court proceedings, and ultimately AB5 was retroactively placed into law as of January 2020, with the ABC Test being applied in certain circumstances retroactively to April 2018. Litigation surrounding the matter continues, and it remains unclear whether such challenges will be successful in invalidating the law. It is also possible AB5 will spur similar legislation in states other than California, which could adversely affect our results of operations and profitability.
Wage and Hour Legislation
In 2018, the FMCSA granted a petition filed by the American Trucking Associations and in doing so determined that federal law does preempt California’s wage and hour laws, and interstate truck drivers are not subject to such laws. The FMCSA’s decision has been appealed by labor groups and multiple lawsuits have been filed in federal courts seeking to overturn the decision. In 2021, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the FMCSA’s determination that federal law does preempt California's meal and rest break laws, as applied to drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles. Other current and future state and local wage and hour laws, including laws related to employee meal breaks and rest periods, may also vary significantly from federal law. Further, driver piece rate compensation, which is an industry standard, has been attacked as non-compliant with state minimum wage laws. Both of these issues are adversely impacting the Company and the industry as a whole, with respect to the practical application of the laws, thereby resulting in additional cost. As a result, we are subject to an uneven patchwork of wage and hour laws throughout the US. If federal legislation is not passed preempting state and local wage and hour laws, we will either need to comply with the most restrictive state and local laws across our entire fleet, or revise our management systems to comply with varying state and local laws. Either solution could result in increased compliance costs, increased driver turnover, decreased efficiency, and amplified legal exposure.
In a 2023 case involving the Fair Labor Standards Act, the First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a decision that would require additional payment to team drivers to be paid while in their sleeper berth. It is unclear if other jurisdictions will adopt this view, or if any legislation will result from this holding. If so, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In November 2023, a bill was introduced to Congress that would eliminate an exclusion of truck drivers from receiving overtime pay. If enacted, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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Other Regulation
Recently, the Trump administration issued a memorandum directing federal departments and agencies to freeze regulatory actions. In particular, the memorandum prohibited new rules from being proposed or issued until such rules are reviewed and approved by heads of departments or agencies appointed under the Trump administration. Rules previously sent to the Federal Register but not already published are also to be withdrawn to permit additional review and permission to proceed. Additionally, existing rules could be delayed for up to 60 days to allow for additional review, including the assessment of their impacts, and to allow for public comments.
Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 contains provisions relating to energy, climate change, and tax reform. In particular, the Inflation Reduction Act shifts timing for certain tax payments, imposes an excise tax on certain corporate stock buybacks, and creates a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax, which is generally applicable to corporations that reported over $1 billion in profits in each of the three proceeding tax years. Tax changes in the Inflation Reduction Act, together with changes to any other US tax laws may have an adverse impact on our business and profitability. It is unclear what other legislative initiatives will be signed into law and what changes they may undergo. However, adoption and implementation could negatively impact our business by increasing our compliance obligations and related expenses.
Infrastructure Spending
In November 2022, Senate lawmakers introduced legislation that would set aside grant funds over four years to expand truck parking across the United States. Such legislation would allow for the creation of new parking areas, the expansion of existing facilities, and the approval of commercial parking at existing weigh stations, rest areas, and park-and-ride facilities. It would also allow for truck parking expansion at commercial truck stops and travel plazas. More recently, the DOT has provided funding to increase parking in certain heavily congested areas of Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and Congressional leaders have included a provision in the House funding bill introduced in June 2024 to allocate $200 million for truck parking projects. Industry groups are generally in favor of additional funding to improve parking infrastructure as a lack of available parking has negatively impacted the industry as a whole, including the Company and its subsidiaries.
Brokerage Liability
Recently, federal courts have reached different decisions on the issue of whether preemption applies to broker liability. In June 2022, the US Supreme Court declined to review a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision holding that broker liability is not preempted by federal regulation, which would expose freight brokers to a patchwork of state regulations across the United States. In April 2023, the Eleventh Circuit Court held that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act ("FAAAA") expressly preempted such personal liability claims against a broker, and subsequently in July 2023, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals provided a supporting decision holding that the plaintiff’s claim was preempted by the FAAAA. The US Supreme Court declined to review the issue, and is uncertain how long the current circuit split will continue and whether the US Supreme Court will decide to review similar cases in the future. If additional circuit courts, or the US Supreme Court, adopt the Ninth Circuit view that freight broker liability is not preempted by federal regulation, it could lead to a patchwork of regulations across the United States and also result in primary (as opposed to contingent) liability being imposed upon freight brokers, and increased insurance premiums for brokerage operations generally. Although we are committed to selecting safe and secure motor carriers in carrying out our brokerage activities, if we are found to be negligent in the motor carrier selection process it could lead to significant liabilities in the event of an accident, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business and operating results.
SHIP IT Act
In January 2023, the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking Act (the “SHIP IT Act”) was introduced into the US House of Representatives. As proposed, the SHIP IT Act would allow states to issue special permits for overweight vehicles and loads during emergencies, allow drivers to apply for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grants, attempt to recruit truck drivers to the industry through targeted and temporary tax credits, streamline the CDL process in certain respects, and expand access to truck parking and rest areas for commercial drivers. A similar bill, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, was introduced into the Senate in March of 2023
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and if enacted as proposed, would dedicate $755 million in funding over the next three years to expand access to truck parking and rest areas for commercial drivers. It remains unclear whether such acts will ultimately become law, however, and what changes they may undergo prior to finalization.
Truck Leasing Task Force
In February 2023, the Secretary of Transportation announced the creation of the Truck Leasing Task Force ("TLTF"). The TLTF is a committee tasked with evaluating lease agreements in the industry and their effects on industry participants, including independent contractors. In January 2025, the TLTF provided a report to Congress and the Secretaries of Transportation and Labor recommending Congress ban truck lease-purchase programs where motor carriers have control over the work, compensation, and debts of the driver-lessee. It is unclear what, if any, actions will be taken as a result of the report; however, any future laws or regulations stemming from the TLTF could disrupt the Company’s leasing practices and cause materially adverse effects on our operations and financial position.
Available Information
Our investor site, http://investor.knight-swift.com, includes our annual reports on Form 10-K with accompanying XBRL documents, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q with accompanying XBRL documents, current reports on Form 8-K with accompanying XBRL documents, and amendments to those reports that are filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable once the material is electronically filed or furnished to the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
When evaluating our company, the following risks should be considered in conjunction with the other information contained in this Annual Report. If we are unable to mitigate and/or are exposed to any of the following risks in the future, then there could be a material, adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.
Our risks are grouped into the following risk categories:
Strategic Operational Compliance Financial
*Market Changes *Customers *Internal Controls *Debt
*International Operations *Insurance *Labor Regulation *Investments
*Mergers and Acquisitions *Employees and Contractors *ESG *Taxation
*Systems and Cybersecurity *Dividend Policy
*Public Health
*Climate Change
Strategic Risk
Our business is subject to economic, credit, business, and regulatory factors that are largely beyond our control, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.
The full truckload, LTL, intermodal, and brokerage industries are highly cyclical, and our business is dependent on a number of factors that may have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations, many of which are beyond our control. In the pursuit of our goal of building a nationwide in-house LTL network, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully add new markets or terminals, or whether such markets and terminals will be profitable. Expansion of our LTL network could disrupt our existing operations, distract management as they seek to improve operations from the expansion, incur additional costs as we work to make new locations operational, and increase the risks associated with our LTL operations if such expansion is detrimental to our profitability, service levels, or operations.
Economic conditions that decrease shipping demand or increase the supply of available tractors and trailers can exert downward pressure on rates and equipment utilization, thereby decreasing asset productivity. The risks associated with these factors are heightened when the US economy is weakened. During such times, we may experience a reduction in overall freight levels and freight patterns may change as supply chains are redesigned, resulting in an imbalance between our capacity and our customers’ freight demands. Unfavorable market and economic conditions such as weakened freight demand and inflation have had a materially adverse impact on our results of operations in the past, and the occurrence or continuance thereof could have similar impacts in the future.
We cannot predict future economic conditions, fuel price fluctuations, cost increases, revenue equipment resale values, or how consumer confidence, macroeconomic conditions, or production capabilities, could be affected by armed conflicts or terrorist attacks, government efforts to combat terrorism, military action against or from a foreign state or group located in a foreign state, or heightened security requirements. Enhanced security measures in connection with such events could impair our operating efficiency and productivity and result in higher operating costs. In addition, the Trump administration has stated its intention to impose new or increased tariff rates on imported goods from a number of countries, including China, Canada, Mexico, and the EU. Such trade policies and tariff implementations, and any related retaliatory trade policies and tariff implementations by foreign government may result in decreased shipping volumes, increased equipment and fuel costs, and could have an adverse impact on our revenues and results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive and fragmented industry, and numerous competitive factors could limit growth opportunities and could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive industry. The following factors could limit our growth opportunities and have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations:
•many of our competitors periodically reduce their freight rates to gain business, especially during times of reduced growth rates in the economy, which may limit our ability to maintain or increase freight rates or maintain or grow profitability of our business;
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•some of our customers operate their own private trucking fleets and they may decide to transport more of their own freight;
•competition from non-asset-based and other logistics and freight brokerage companies, or LTL providers with a nationwide network, may adversely affect our customer relationships and freight rates;
•advances in technology may require us to increase investments in order to remain competitive, and our customers may not be willing to accept higher freight rates to cover the cost of these investments; and
•our brand names are valuable assets that are subject to the risk of adverse publicity (whether or not justified), which could result in the loss of value attributable to our brand and reduced demand for our services.
Increased prices for new revenue equipment, design changes of new engines, decreased availability of new revenue equipment, future use of autonomous trucks, and the failure of manufacturers to meet their sale or trade-back obligations to us could have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and profitability.
We are subject to risk with respect to higher prices for new equipment for our full truckload and LTL operations. We have experienced an increase in prices for new tractors and trailers in recent periods, and the resale value of the tractors and trailers has not increased to the same extent. Increased regulation has increased the cost of our new tractors and could impair equipment productivity, in some cases, resulting in lower fuel mileage, and increasing our operating expenses. Future use of autonomous and alternative fuel tractors could increase the price of new tractors and decrease the value of used, non-autonomous tractors. We expect equipment prices to continue to rise for the foreseeable future.
Tractor and trailer vendors may reduce their manufacturing output in response to lower demand for their products in economic downturns or shortages of component parts. Lower output from manufacturers could have a materially adverse effect on our ability to purchase or take possession of a quantity of new revenue equipment that is sufficient to sustain our desired growth rate and to maintain a late-model fleet. Tractor and trailer manufacturers have experienced periodic shortages of certain components and supplies, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, including semiconductor chips, forcing some manufacturers to curtail or suspend their production, which led to a lower supply of tractors and trailers and higher prices. An inability to obtain an adequate supply of new tractors or trailers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, particularly our maintenance expense, the length of our trade cycle, and driver retention.
We have certain revenue equipment leases and financing arrangements with balloon payments at the end of the lease term similar to the residual value we are contracted to receive from certain equipment manufacturers upon sale or trade back to the manufacturers. If we do not purchase new equipment that triggers the trade-back obligation, or the equipment manufacturers do not pay the contracted value at the end of the lease term, we could be exposed to losses if and to the extent the balloon payment owed to the lease or finance company exceeds the proceeds from selling the equipment on the open market.
We have trade-in and repurchase commitments that specify, among other things, what our primary equipment vendors will pay us for disposal of a substantial portion of our revenue equipment. The prices we expect to receive under these arrangements may be higher than the prices we would receive in the open market. We may suffer a financial loss upon disposition of our equipment if these vendors refuse or are unable to meet their financial obligations under these agreements.
Declines in demand for our used revenue equipment could result in decreased equipment sales, resale values, and gains on sales of assets.
We are sensitive to the used equipment market and fluctuations in prices and demand for tractors and trailers. The market for used equipment is affected by several factors, including the demand for freight, the supply of new and used equipment, the availability and terms of financing, the presence of buyers for export to foreign countries, and commodity prices for scrap metal. Declines in demand for the used equipment we sell could result in diminished sales volumes or lower used equipment sales prices, either of which could negatively affect our gains on sales of assets. We have seen a softening of the used equipment market recently, which has led to lower gain on sale in recent quarters.
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If fuel prices increase significantly or fuel availability becomes scarce, our results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our full truckload and LTL operations are dependent upon diesel fuel, and accordingly, significant increases in diesel fuel costs or decreases in availability of fuel could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition if we are unable to pass increased costs on to customers through rate increases or fuel surcharges.
The price and availability of diesel fuel are subject to fluctuations due to changes in the level of global oil production, seasonality, weather, global politics, tariffs, and other market factors. Fuel is subject to regional pricing differences and often costs more on the West Coast and in the Northeast, where we have significant operations. While we use a fuel surcharge program to recapture a portion of the increases in fuel prices it does not protect us against the full effect of increases in fuel prices. Because our fuel surcharge recovery lags behind changes in fuel prices our fuel surcharge recovery may not capture the increased costs we pay for fuel, especially when prices are rising. Our results of operations would be negatively affected and more volatile to the extent we cannot recover higher fuel costs or fail to improve our fuel price protection through our fuel surcharge program. Any widespread or long-term shortage or rationing of diesel fuel could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
Global conflicts could adversely impact our business and financial results.
Although we do not have any direct operations in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the Middle East, China, or Taiwan, we may be affected by the broader consequences of such conflicts or their expansion to other areas or countries or similar conflicts elsewhere, such as increased inflation, supply chain issues, including shortages of new revenue equipment, access to parts for our revenue equipment, embargoes, tariffs, geopolitical shift, access to or increased prices for diesel fuel, higher energy prices, potential retaliatory action by foreign governments, including cyber-attacks, and the extent of an armed conflict’s effect on the global economy. The magnitude of these risks cannot be predicted, including the extent to which the conflict may heighten other risks disclosed herein. Ultimately, these or other factors could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
We are subject to certain risks arising from doing business in Mexico.
We have operations in Mexico, which subjects us to general international business risks, including:
•foreign currency fluctuation;
•changes in Mexico's economic strength;
•disruptions related to port of entry restrictions;
•difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations and intellectual property rights;
•burdens of complying with a wide variety of international and US export, import, business procurement, transparency, and corruption laws, including the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;
•changes in trade agreements, US-Mexico trade relations, or the imposition of tariffs on imports from Mexico and related retaliatory tariffs that may be imposed by the Mexican government;
•theft or vandalism of our revenue equipment; and
•social, political, and economic instability.
We may not make acquisitions in the future, or if we do, we may not be successful in our acquisition strategy.
Historically, acquisitions have been a part of our growth strategy. There is no assurance that we will be successful in identifying, negotiating, or consummating any future acquisitions. If we do not make any future acquisitions, our growth rate could be materially and adversely affected. Any future acquisitions we undertake could involve issuing dilutive equity securities or incurring indebtedness, the terms of which may be less favorable to us than anticipated. In addition, acquisitions (including our recent acquisition of U.S. Xpress and DHE) involve numerous risks, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business and results of operations, including:
•the acquired company may not achieve anticipated revenue, earnings, or cash flow;
•we may assume liabilities beyond our estimates or what was disclosed to us;
•we may be unable to successfully assimilate or integrate the acquired company's operations or assets into our business and realize the anticipated economic, operational, and other benefits in a timely manner, which could result in substantial costs and delays or other operational, technical, or financial problems;
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•transaction costs and acquisition-related integration costs could adversely affect our results of operations in the period in which such costs are recorded;
•the potential for deficiencies in internal controls at the acquired business, as well as implementing our own management information systems, operating systems and internal controls for the acquired operations;
•the timing and impact of purchase accounting adjustments;
•diverting our management's attention from other business concerns;
•risks of entering into new markets or business offerings in which we have had no or only limited prior experience; and
•the potential loss of customers, key employees, or driving associates of the acquired company.
Operational Risk
We may not grow substantially in the future and we may not be successful in sustaining or improving our profitability.
There is no assurance that in the future, our business will grow substantially or without volatility, nor can we assure you that we will be able to effectively adapt our management, administrative, and operational systems to respond to any future growth. Our operating margins may be adversely affected by future changes in and expansion of our business or by changes in economic conditions and we may not be able to sustain or improve our profitability in the future.
Furthermore, the continued progression and development of new business offerings are subject to risks, including, but not limited to:
•initial unfamiliarity with pricing, service, operational, and liability issues;
•the potential need for additional capital, including for terminals and equipment;
•customer relationships may be difficult to obtain or retain, or we may have to reduce rates to gain and develop customer relationships;
•specialized equipment and information and management systems technology may not be adequately utilized;
•insurance and claims may exceed our past experience or estimations; and
•we may be unable to recruit and retain qualified personnel and management with requisite experience or knowledge of developing service offerings.
We derive a significant portion of our revenues from our major customers, the loss of one or more of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.
A significant portion of our operating revenue is generated from a number of major customers, the loss of one or more of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business. Refer to Part I, Item 1, "Business" for information regarding our customer concentrations. Aside from our dedicated operations, we generally do not have long-term contractual relationships, rate agreements, or minimum volume guarantees with our customers. There is no assurance any of our customers will continue to utilize our services, renew our existing contracts, continue at the same volume levels, or not seek to modify terms of existing contracts, including rates. A reduction in or termination of our services by one or more of our major customers could have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Retail and discount retail customers account for a substantial portion of our freight. Accordingly, our results may be more susceptible to trends in unemployment and retail sales than carriers that do not have this concentration.
In addition, our customers' financial difficulties could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition, especially if these customers were to delay or default on payments to us. For our multi-year and dedicated contracts, the rates we charge may not remain advantageous. Further, despite the existence of contractual arrangements, certain of our customers may nonetheless engage in competitive bidding processes that could negatively impact our contractual relationship.
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We depend on third-party capacity providers, and service instability from these transportation providers could increase our operating costs and reduce our ability to offer intermodal and brokerage services, which could adversely affect our revenue, results of operations, and customer relationships.
Our intermodal operations use railroads and some third-party drayage carriers to transport freight for our customers, and intermodal dependence on railroads could increase if we expand our intermodal services. In certain markets, rail service is limited to a few railroads or even a single railroad. Intermodal providers have experienced poor service from providers of rail-based services in the past. Our ability to provide intermodal services in certain traffic lanes would be reduced or eliminated if the railroads' services became unstable. Railroads could reduce their services in the future for various reasons, which may include work stoppages, insufficient network capacity, adverse weather conditions, accidents, or other factors, which could increase the cost of the rail-based services we provide, could create cargo claims, and could reduce the reliability, timeliness, efficiency, and overall attractiveness of our rail-based intermodal services.
Our intermodal operations have been negatively impacted by labor difficulties in recent periods. Although labor challenges in the rail industry have softened, the future threat or occurrence of a work stoppage, strike, or other labor disruption among rail employees could significantly reduce or even halt operating capacity of our intermodal operations, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Furthermore, price increases could result in higher costs to us, which we may be unable to pass on to our customers and could result in the reduction or elimination of our ability to offer intermodal services. In addition, we may not be able to negotiate additional contracts with railroads to expand our capacity, add additional routes, obtain multiple providers, or obtain railroad services at current cost levels, any of which could limit our ability to provide this service.
Our logistics operations are dependent upon the services of third-party capacity providers, including other truckload and LTL capacity providers. These third-party providers may seek other freight opportunities and may require increased compensation in times of improved freight demand or tight full truckload and LTL capacity. Most of our third-party capacity provider transportation services contracts are cancelable on 30 days' notice or less. If we are unable to secure the services of these third parties, or if we become subject to increases in the prices we must pay to secure such services, and we are not able to obtain corresponding customer rate increases, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.
Insurance and claims expenses could significantly reduce our earnings.
Our future insurance and claims expense might exceed historical levels, which could reduce our earnings. We self-insure, or insure through our captive insurance companies, a significant portion of our claims exposure. For a detailed discussion of our self-insurance programs, including self-insurance retention limits, please refer to Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements, included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report. Higher self-insured retention levels may increase the impact of auto liability occurrences on our results of operations. We reserve for anticipated losses and expenses and periodically evaluate and adjust our claims reserves to reflect our experience. Estimating the number and severity of claims, as well as related judgment or settlement amounts, is inherently difficult, and claims may ultimately prove to be more severe than our estimates. This, along with legal expenses, incurred but not reported claims, and other uncertainties can cause unfavorable differences between actual self-insurance costs and our reserve estimates. Accordingly, ultimate results may differ materially from our estimates, which could result in losses over our reserved amounts and could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Although we believe our aggregate insurance limits should be sufficient to cover reasonably expected claims, it is possible that the amount of one or more claims could exceed our aggregate coverage limits. If any claim were to exceed our coverage, we would bear the excess, in addition to our self-insured amounts. Furthermore, insurance carriers have raised premiums for many businesses, including transportation companies.
In addition, rising healthcare costs could negatively impact financial results or force us to make changes to existing benefit programs, which could negatively impact our ability to attract and retain employees.
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Insuring risk through our captive insurance companies could adversely impact our operations.
We insure certain affiliated risks through our captive insurance company, Mohave, and through our risk retention group, Red Rock. Additionally, Mohave provides reinsurance to third-party insurance companies who provide insurance coverage for independent contractors, as well as affiliated carriers through the first quarter of 2024. Based on results of operations of this business, including the continued unfavorable development of insurance reserves, the Company ceased all third-party insurance operations and canceled any remaining policies as of March 31, 2024.
Red Rock insures a share of our automobile liability risk. The insurance and reinsurance markets are subject to market pressures. Our captive insurance companies' access to the reinsurance markets may be restricted or involve the retention of additional risk, which could expose us to volatility in claims expenses.
Our captive insurance companies are regulated by state authorities. State regulations generally provide protection to policy holders, rather than stockholders. These regulations may increase our costs of regulatory compliance, limit our ability to change premiums, restrict our ability to access cash held in our captive insurance companies, and otherwise impede our ability to take actions we deem advisable.
In the future, we may continue to insure our automobile liability risk through our captive insurance subsidiaries, which will cause increases in the required amount of our restricted cash or other collateral, such as letters of credit. Significant increases in the amount of collateral required by third-party insurance carriers and regulators would reduce our liquidity.
If we are unable to recruit, develop, and retain our key employees, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We are highly dependent upon the services of certain key employees and we believe their valuable knowledge about the transportation industry and relationships with our key customers and vendors would be difficult to replicate. We currently do not have employment agreements with our key employees, and the loss of any of their services or inadequate succession planning could negatively impact our operations and future profitability.
Difficulties attracting and retaining qualified driving associates or increases in driving associate compensation could have a materially adverse effect on our profitability and the ability to maintain or grow our fleet.
Difficulty in attracting and retaining sufficient numbers of qualified driving associates, independent contractors, and third-party capacity providers could have a materially adverse effect on our growth and profitability. The truckload and LTL transportation industries are subject to a shortage of qualified driving associates. Such shortage is exacerbated during periods of economic expansion, in which there may be alternative employment opportunities, or during periods of economic downturns, in which unemployment benefits might be extended and financing is limited for independent contractors who seek to purchase equipment or for students who seek financial aid for driving school. Furthermore, capacity at driving schools may be limited by future outbreaks of contagious diseases and any governmental imposed lockdown or other attempts to reduce the spread of such an outbreak may reduce the pool of potential drivers available to us. Regulatory requirements could further reduce the number of eligible driving associates. We believe our employee screening process, which includes background checks and hair follicle drug testing, is more rigorous than generally employed in our industry and has decreased the pool of qualified applicants available to us.Our inability to engage a sufficient number of driving associates and independent contractors may negatively affect our operations.
In addition, we suffer from a high turnover rate of driving associates and independent contractors. This high turnover rate requires us to spend significant resources on recruiting and retention.
Further, our driving associate compensation and independent contractor expenses are subject to market conditions and we may find it necessary to increase driving associate and independent contractor contracted rates in future periods.
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Our leasing arrangements with independent contractors expose us to risks that we do not face with our company driving associates.
Our financing subsidiaries offer financing to some of the independent contractors we contract with to purchase or lease tractors from us. If these independent contractors default or experience a lease termination in conjunction with these agreements and we cannot replace them, we may incur losses on amounts owed to us. Also, if liquidity constraints or other restrictions prevent us from providing financing to the independent contractors we contract with in the future, then we could experience a shortage of independent contractors.
Our lease contracts with independent contractors are governed by federal leasing regulations, which impose specific requirements on us and the independent contractors. In the past, we have been the subject of lawsuits, alleging violations of lease agreements or failure to follow the contractual terms, some of which resulted in adverse decisions against the Company. We could be subjected to similar lawsuits and decisions in the future, which if determined adversely to us, could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.
"Other Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, discusses how we could be affected by changes in law or regulations regarding our leasing arrangements with independent contractors.
We have operations and business lines in ancillary areas that may increase risk or impair our financial position.
We have from time to time expanded our business lines into ancillary areas, such as support services provided to our customers and third-party carriers, including insurance coverage, equipment maintenance, equipment leasing, warehousing, trailer parts manufacturing, and warranty services. We may incur significant costs in the development and refinement of these business lines, some of which may be outside of our core competency. In addition, the development and expansion of these areas may result in us incurring unanticipated costs to effectively support the new business lines, the potential for disruption to our core business, the distraction of management, the inability to effectively compete with competitors in the areas of our new lines of business, and the potential that we may need to discontinue operations or business lines and incur significant related costs. We cannot guarantee that these businesses or strategies will be successful and any of these businesses or strategies may not achieve the anticipated financial results and could have an adverse effect on volatility, our business, financial condition and operating results. We may decide to divest of business lines, which may involve significant challenges and risks, costs, and disruptions, and may result in ongoing financial or legal involvement in the divested business through indemnification, retained liabilities, or other financial arrangements, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We are dependent on management information and communications systems and other information technology assets (including the data contained therein), and a significant systems disruption or failure in the foregoing, including those caused by cybersecurity breaches, whether internally or with third parties, could adversely affect our business.
Our business depends on the efficient, stable, and uninterrupted operation of our management information and communications systems and other information technology assets (including the data contained therein). Our management information and communication systems are used in various aspects of our business, including accepting and planning loads, dispatching equipment and drivers, billing and collecting for our services, and producing financial statements. If any of our critical information or communications systems fail or become unavailable, it could temporarily affect the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. Our operations and those of our providers are vulnerable to interruption by natural disasters, such as fires, storms, and floods, which may increase in frequency and severity due to climate change. We and our service providers are also vulnerable to interruption by power loss, telecommunications failure, cyber-attacks, computer viruses, denial-of-service attacks on websites, terrorist attacks, internet failures, and other events beyond our control. More sophisticated and frequent cyber-attacks in recent years have increased security risks associated with information technology systems. The expansion of remote and flexible work arrangements, including those available to our employees, has introduced additional cybersecurity risks, including heightened exposure to phishing and social engineering attacks, potential unauthorized access to sensitive information due to remote access vulnerabilities, and increased compliance considerations. The use of personal devices and videoconferencing applications in remote work environments may further contribute to these risks, potentially increasing the exposure to data breaches or unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. Our business and operations could be adversely affected in the event of a system failure, disruption, or security breach that causes a delay, interruption, or impairment of our services and operations. Although we carry insurance to help protect us from losses due to an interruption of our systems, there is no
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guarantee such an interruption will fall within the coverage limits of our insurance. Any such failure, inability to upgrade or update, disruption, or security breach (including cyberattacks) related to our systems and technological assets may also impact third-parties upon which we rely in our business, and could hinder our services or such third-parties, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.
We receive and transmit confidential data in the normal course of business. Despite our implementation of safeguards, our information and communication systems are vulnerable to disruption, unauthorized access and viewing, misappropriation, altering, or deleting of information. A security breach could damage our business operations and reputation and could cause us to incur costs associated with repairing our systems, increased security, customer notifications, lost operating revenue, litigation, regulatory action, and reputational damage. Further, data privacy laws may result in increased liability and compliance and monitoring costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance and business operations.
In addition, the adoption of artificial intelligence ("AI") and other emerging technologies may become significant to operating results in the future, including in areas such as brokerage, pickup and delivery appointments, and other areas where automation is possible. While AI and other technologies may offer substantial benefits, they may also introduce additional risk, including those relating to errors or inaccuracies in work product developed through the use of AI and privacy, intellectual property, and legal and regulatory risks. If we are unable to successfully implement and utilize such emerging technologies as effectively and as quickly as competitors, our results of operation may be negatively affected.
The impact of climate change, weather, and other catastrophic events and seasonality could have a materially adverse effect on our infrastructure, results of operations and profitability or make our results of operations and profitability more volatile.
The potential physical effects of climate change, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, floods, fires, fog, mist, freezing conditions, sea-level rise and other climate-related events, could cause loss or damage to our equipment or properties, deteriorate or destroy the infrastructure upon which we rely, increase the likelihood of accidents, disrupt fuel supplies, and/or increase our claim liabilities and our cost or ability to obtain insurance coverage, any of which could impair our operations and financial position. Operational impacts, such as the delay or difficult in delivering freight, could result in loss of revenue, decrease the demand for our services, and harm our reputation. In addition, certain warehouses and loading docks that we frequently utilize and certain of our terminals are in locations susceptible to the impacts of storm-related flooding and sea-level rise, which could result in additional costs and loss of revenue. We could incur significant costs to improve the climate resiliency of our equipment and properties and otherwise prepare for, respond to, and mitigate such physical effects of climate change. We are not able to accurately predict the materiality of any potential losses or costs associated with the physical effects of climate change.
"Seasonality" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, discusses in detail how seasonality could impact our operations.
The effects of a widespread outbreak of an illness or disease, or any other public health crisis, as well as regulatory measures implemented in response to such events, could negatively impact the health and safety of our workforce and/or adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
We face a wide variety of risks related to public health crises, epidemics, pandemics or similar events, such as COVID-19. If a new health epidemic or outbreak were to occur, we could experience broad and varied impacts similar to the impact of COVID-19, including adverse impacts to our workforce, our operations, and financial impacts, such as increased costs, tightening of credit markets, market volatility, equipment shortages, and a weakened freight environment. If any of these were to occur, our operations, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, and cash flows could be adversely impacted.
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Compliance Risk
We operate in a highly regulated industry, and changes in existing regulations or violations of existing or future regulations could have a materially adverse effect on our operations and profitability.
We, our drivers, and our equipment are regulated by various federal and state agencies in the states, provinces, and countries in which we operate. Future laws and regulations or changes to existing laws and regulations may be more stringent, require changes in our operating practices, influence the demand for transportation services, or require us to incur significant additional costs, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
"Industry Regulation" and "Other Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, discusses in detail regulations related to our business that could materially impact our business, financial condition, and operations.
Receipt of an unfavorable DOT safety rating or an unfavorable ranking under the CSA program could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and operations.
If we, or one of our subsidiaries, received a conditional or unsatisfactory DOT safety rating or an unfavorable ranking under the CSA program, it could lead to increased risk of liability, increased insurance, maintenance and equipment costs, and potential loss of customers, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
"Industry Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, provides discussion of the DOT safety rating system and the CSA program.
Ineffective internal controls could have a negative impact on our business, results of operations, and our reputation.
Our internal controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements because of its inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, failure or interruption of information technology systems, the circumvention or overriding of controls, or fraud. Even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, including any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or if we experience difficulties in their implementation, including with the implementation of our internal controls in acquired companies, our business and operating results could be harmed and we could fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, which also could have a negative impact on our reputation.
Compliance with various environmental laws and regulations to which our operations are subject may increase our costs of operations, and non-compliance with such laws and regulations could result in substantial fines or penalties.
We are subject to various environmental laws and regulations. We have instituted programs to monitor and control environmental risks and promote compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations; however, in the event of any of the following, we could be subject to clean-up costs and liabilities, including substantial fines or penalties or civil and criminal liability, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business and results of operations:
•we are involved in a spill or other accident involving hazardous substances;
•there are releases of hazardous substances we transport;
•soil or groundwater contamination is found at our facilities or results from our operations; and
•we are found to be in violation of or fail to comply with applicable environmental laws or regulations.
Certain of our terminals are located on or near environmental Superfund sites designated by the EPA and/or state environmental authorities. We have not been identified as a potentially responsible party with regard to any such site. Nevertheless, we could be deemed responsible for clean-up costs.
In addition, tractors and trailers used in our full truckload and LTL operations are affected by laws and regulations related to air emissions and fuel efficiency. Governmental agencies continue to enact more stringent laws and regulations to reduce engine emissions. These laws and regulations are applicable to engines used in our revenue equipment. We have incurred and continue to incur costs related to the implementation of these more rigorous laws and regulations. Additionally, in certain locations governments have banned or may in the future ban internal combustion engines for some types of vehicles. To the extent these bans affect our revenue equipment, we may be
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forced to incur substantial expense to retrofit existing engines or make capital expenditures to update our fleet. As a result, our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be negatively affected.
As the environmental laws and regulations to which we are subject become more stringent, and may become further restrictive given concerns over climate change, we may experience increased costs related to compliance, and if such laws and regulations take effect faster than we anticipate or are prepared for, we may experience difficulty complying. In addition, certain environmental laws and regulations may require us to disclose certain metrics or other data related to our operations that have historically been confidential, or impose additional environmental monitoring or reporting requirements. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in fines or penalties, a decrease in productivity, and other constraints that could impair our financial and operational position and have a negative impact on our stock price and reputation. "Environmental Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, provides a discussion of the environmental laws and regulations applicable to our business and operations.
Developments in labor and employment law and any unionizing efforts by employees could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.
Although our only collective bargaining agreement exists at our Mexican subsidiary, we always face the risk that our employees will try to unionize. If we entered into a collective bargaining agreement with our domestic employees, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, customer retention, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity, and could cause significant disruption of, or inefficiencies in, our operations, because:
•restrictive work rules could hamper our ability to improve or sustain operating efficiency or could impair our service reputation and limit our ability to provide certain services;
•a strike or work stoppage could negatively impact our profitability and could damage customer and employee relationships;
•shippers may limit their use of unionized companies because of the threat of strikes and other work stoppages;
•unionization of any of our operations could lead to pressure on our LTL and full truckload employees to unionize;
•collective agreements could result in material increases in wages and benefits; and
•an election and bargaining process could divert management’s time and attention from our overall objectives and impose significant expenses.
If the independent contractors we contract with were ever re-classified as employees, the magnitude of this risk would increase. "Industry Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, provides discussion of labor and employment laws applicable to our business and operations.
If our independent contractors are deemed by regulators or the judicial process to be employees, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Tax and other regulatory authorities, as well as independent contractors themselves, have increasingly asserted that independent contractors in the trucking industry are employees rather than independent contractors. Carriers such as us that operate or have operated lease-purchase programs have been more susceptible to lawsuits seeking to reclassify independent contractors that have engaged in such programs. We have been subject to litigation relating to such matters in the past and continue to be at risk moving forward. If the independent contractors we engage were determined to be our employees, we would incur additional exposure under federal and state tax, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, labor, employment, insurance, discrimination, and tort laws, including for prior periods, as well as potential liability for employee benefits and tax withholdings. Furthermore, if independent contractors were deemed employees, then certain of our third-party revenue sources, including shop and insurance margins, would be eliminated. "Industry Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report, provides discussion of legislation regarding independent contractors.
Litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The nature of our business exposes us to the potential for various claims and litigation, including class-action litigation and other legal proceedings related to personal injury, labor and employment, property damage, cargo claims, safety and contract compliance, environmental liability, and other matters, and we have been subject to litigation regarding these matters in the past. The number and severity of litigation claims may be worsened by various factors, including, among others, weather and distracted driving by both truck drivers and other motorists.
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These legal proceedings have resulted, and may result in the future, in the payment of substantial settlements or damages and increases in our insurance costs.
Recently, trucking companies, including us, have been subject to lawsuits, including class action lawsuits, alleging violations of various federal and state wage and hour laws regarding, among other things, employee meal breaks, rest periods, overtime eligibility, and failure to pay for all hours worked. A number of these lawsuits have resulted in the payment of substantial settlements or damages by the defendants.
The outcome of litigation, particularly class action lawsuits and regulatory actions, is difficult to assess or quantify, and the magnitude of the potential loss relating to such lawsuits may remain unknown for substantial periods of time. We establish reserves based on our assessment of known legal matters and contingencies. New legal claims, or subsequent developments related to known claims, may affect our assessment and estimates of our recorded legal reserves and may require us to make payments in excess of our reserves. The cost to defend litigation may also be significant. Because of the potential expenses and uncertainties associated with litigation, we may from time to time settle disputes, even where we believe we have a meritorious position. Further, not all claims are covered by our insurance, and there can be no assurance that our coverage limits will be adequate to cover all amounts in dispute. To the extent we experience claims that are uninsured, exceed our coverage limits, involve significant aggregate use of our self-insured retention amounts, or cause increases in future premiums, the resulting expenses could have a materially adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows, and our involvement in legal proceedings could negatively impact our business reputation and our relationship with our customers, suppliers, employees, and stockholders.
Changes to trade regulation, quotas, duties or tariffs, caused by the changing US and geopolitical environments or otherwise, may increase our costs and adversely affect our business.
Recently, the Trump administration has stated its intention to impose new or increased tariff rates on imported goods from a number of countries, including China, Canada, Mexico, and the E.U. The imposition of additional tariffs or quotas or changes to certain trade agreements, or retaliatory trade policies could, among other things, increase the costs of the materials used by our suppliers to produce new revenue equipment, limit the availability of new revenue equipment, or increase the price of fuel. Such cost increases for our revenue equipment suppliers would likely be passed on to us, and to the extent fuel prices increase, we may not be able to fully recover such increases through rate increases or our fuel surcharge program, either of which could have an adverse effect on our business.
Increasing attention on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters may have a negative impact on our business, impose additional costs on us, and expose us to additional risks.
Our implementation reporting on ESG matters present numerous operational, financial, legal, reputational and other risks, many of which are outside of our control, and all of which could have a material negative impact on our business. Companies have recently faced attention from stakeholders relating to ESG matters, including environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and diversity and inclusion. Failure to satisfy our stakeholders with regard to ESG matters could negatively impact our reputation, our ability to attract or retain employees, and our attractiveness as an investment and business partner. Organizations that provide information to investors on corporate governance and related matters have developed ratings processes for evaluating companies on their approach to ESG matters. Such ratings are used by some investors to inform their investment and voting decisions. Unfavorable ESG ratings may lead to negative investor sentiment toward the Company, which could have a negative impact on our stock price. Further, the Trump administration's initiatives surrounding ESG matters may be inconsistent with stakeholder positions on ESG matters, and we may experience conflicts between actual or proposed governmental regulations and stakeholder expectations, which could negatively impact investor sentiment or expose us to government investigation or enforcement actions.
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Financial Risk
We have significant ongoing capital requirements that could affect our profitability if our capital investments do not match customer demand, we are unable to generate sufficient cash from operations, or we are unable to obtain financing on favorable terms.
Our full truckload and LTL operations are capital intensive, and our policy of operating newer equipment requires us to expend significant amounts on capital annually. If anticipated demand differs materially from actual usage, our capital intensive full truckload and LTL operations may have too many or too few assets. Continued growth of our LTL network has increased and will continue to increase our capital requirements for real estate associated with LTL operations. During periods of decreased customer demand, our asset utilization may suffer, and we may be forced to sell equipment on the open market or turn in equipment under certain equipment leases in order to right-size our fleet. This could cause us to incur losses on such sales or require payments in connection with such turn-ins, particularly during times of a softer used equipment market, either of which could have a materially adverse effect on our profitability.
In the event that we are unable to generate sufficient cash from operations, maintain compliance with financial and other covenants in our financing agreements, or obtain equity capital or financing on favorable terms in the future, we may have to limit our fleet size, enter into less favorable financing, or operate our revenue equipment for longer periods, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our operations and profitability.
If credit markets weaken, it may be difficult for us to access our current sources of credit and may be difficult for our lenders to find the capital to fund us. We may need to incur additional debt, or issue debt or equity securities in the future, to refinance existing debt, fund working capital requirements, make investments, or support other business activities. Declines in consumer confidence, decreases in domestic spending, economic contractions, rating agency actions, and other trends in the credit market may impair our future ability to secure financing on satisfactory terms, or at all.
In the future, we may need to obtain additional financing that may not be available or, if it is available, may result in a reduction in the percentage ownership of our then-existing stockholders.
We may need to raise additional funds in order to:
•finance unanticipated working capital requirements, capital investments, or refinance existing indebtedness;
•develop or enhance our technological infrastructure and our existing products and services;
•fund strategic relationships;
•respond to competitive pressures; and
•acquire complementary businesses, technologies, products, or services.
If the economy and/or the credit markets weaken, or we are unable to enter into finance or operating leases to acquire revenue equipment on terms favorable to us, our business, financial results, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected, especially if consumer confidence declines and domestic spending decreases. If adequate funds are not available or are not available on acceptable terms, our ability to fund our strategic initiatives, take advantage of unanticipated opportunities, develop or enhance technology or services, or otherwise respond to competitive pressures could be significantly limited. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our then-existing stockholders may be reduced, and holders of these securities may have rights, preferences, or privileges senior to those of our then-existing stockholders. Volatility to equity markets could also impair our financial position in general terms and our ability to effectively capitalize on potential merger and acquisition opportunities.
In the event of an economic downturn or disruption in the credit markets, our indebtedness could place us at a competitive disadvantage in terms of our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry, and prevent us from meeting our debt obligations compared to our competitors that are less leveraged.
This could have negative consequences that include:
•increased vulnerability to adverse economic, industry, or competitive developments;
•cash flows from operations that are committed to payment of principal and interest, thereby reducing our ability to use cash for our operations, capital expenditures, and future business opportunities;
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•increased interest rates that would affect our variable rate debt or our ability to utilize appropriate leverage in general;
•potential noncompliance with financial covenants, borrowing conditions, and other debt obligations (where applicable);
•lack of financing for working capital, capital expenditures, product development, debt service requirements, and general corporate or other purposes;
•limits on our flexibility to plan for, or react to, changes in our business, market conditions, or in the economy; and
•undertaking cost-saving measures that adversely impact our ability to grow and our long-term financial position.
Our debt agreements contain restrictions that limit our flexibility in operating our business.
As detailed in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements, included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report, we must comply with various affirmative, negative, and financial covenants. A breach of any of these covenants could result in default or (when applicable) cross-default. Upon default under our primary credit facility, the lenders could elect to declare all outstanding amounts to be immediately due and payable, as well as terminate all commitments to extend further credit. Such actions by those lenders could cause cross-defaults with our other debt agreements. If we were unable to repay those amounts, the lenders could use any collateral granted to satisfy all or part of the debt owed to them. If the lenders accelerated our debt repayments, we might not have sufficient assets to repay all amounts borrowed.
In addition, we have other financing that includes certain affirmative and negative covenants and cross-default provisions. Failure to comply with these covenants and provisions may jeopardize our ability to continue to sell receivables under the facility and could negatively impact our liquidity.
Our debt agreements contain variable rate debt that could affect our financial results should interest rates rise.
We are subject to exposure from variable interest rates, as described in Item 7A of this Annual Report.
We could determine that our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangibles are impaired, thus recognizing a related impairment loss.
We have goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets on our balance sheet, which have increased since our U.S. Xpress and DHE acquisitions. Given our history of acquisitions and growth objectives, our goodwill and intangible assets could grow. We periodically evaluate our goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. We could recognize impairments in the future, and we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets. If these events occur, our profitability and financial condition will suffer.
If our investments in entities are not successful or decrease in market value, we may be required to write off or lose the value of a portion or all of our investments, which could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.
Through one of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, we have directly or indirectly invested in certain entities that make privately negotiated equity investments. In the past, the Company has recorded impairment charges to reflect the other-than-temporary decreases in the fair value of its portfolio. If the financial position of any such entity declines, we could be required to write down all or part of our investment in that entity, which could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.
Changes in taxation could lead to an increase of our tax exposure and could affect the Company’s financial results.
Our effective tax rate may be adversely impacted by changes in tax laws in jurisdictions where we operate. President Trump has indicated a desire to amend the federal tax laws. Until any changes are passed into law we will not know if such changes, if any, will have a materially adverse effect on our financial results and financial position. At December 31, 2024, the Company has a deferred tax liability of $919.8 million. The amount of deferred tax liability is determined by using the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities are expected to reverse. Our net current tax liability has been determined based on the currently enacted rate of 21%. If the current rate were to change due to legislation, it would have an immediate revaluation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities in the year of enactment.
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We may change our dividend policy at any time.
We have historically paid quarterly dividends to holders of our common stock. Although we expect to continue to pay dividends to holders of our common stock, the declaration and amount of any future dividends is subject to approval of our Board and various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our cash flow and cash needs, compliance with applicable law, restrictions on the payment of dividends under existing or future financing arrangements, changes in tax laws relating to corporate dividends, and deterioration in our financial condition or results of operations. Accordingly, our dividend policy may change at any time without notice, and our Board may determine to terminate payment of dividends, or reduce the amount or frequency of dividend payments, and we may not pay dividends at our historical rates or at all.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
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ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
Risk Management Strategy
While no organization can eliminate cybersecurity risk entirely, we devote significant resources to our cybersecurity strategy that we believe is reasonably designed to mitigate our cybersecurity and information technology risk. These efforts are designed to protect against, and mitigate the effects of, among other things, cybersecurity incidents where unauthorized parties attempt to access confidential, sensitive, or personal information; potentially hold such information for ransom; destroy data; disrupt or delay our operations or systems; or otherwise cause harm to the Company, our customers, employees, vendors, or other key stakeholders.
Process —We use a multi-layered defensive cybersecurity strategy based on best practices to identify risks, protect technology assets, detect anomalies, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents. Our processes to identify, assess, and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats includes the following:
•Identify - We identify risks from cybersecurity threats by first developing and maintaining an understanding of assets and systems essential to our operations and reputation, as well as assets and systems that could provide value to threat actors. Any attempt by a threat actor is considered a potential risk if a threat actor can use it to reduce the value of an asset, reduce our ability to utilize or otherwise access the value of an asset, or surreptitiously gain or increase their access to an asset or system which would result in decreased information security or a disruption in our operations.
•Assess - We assess risks from cybersecurity threats by evaluating exposure of our assets to identified cyber risks, as well as potential impacts to our operations or reputation from our inability to access or utilize an asset or system, or a threat actor’s ability to gain access to an asset or system. We further evaluate the potential materiality of these risks based on the potential impact to our operations or reputation.
•Manage - We mitigate risks from cybersecurity threats by applying multiple layers of defense to maximize our continued ability to access or utilize an asset or system and minimize threat actors' ability to gain or increase their access to an asset or system. We prioritize defensive mechanisms, including administrative, physical, and technical controls, according to their relative cost and reduction in risk.
We further monitor, test, assess, and update these processes, including working with technology partners, government agencies, regulators, law enforcement, industry groups, and peers to implement practices to guard against an evolving cyber threat environment and to ensure we remain compliant with relevant regulatory requirements. We offer cybersecurity training for corporate employees at headquarters and terminal locations, focusing on reducing human risk through anti-phishing and social engineering exercises. We also carry cybersecurity insurance that provides protection against potential losses arising from certain cybersecurity incidents as part of our cybersecurity risk mitigation strategy.
Integration into our Risk Management Program —Our processes to assess, identify, and manage cybersecurity risks are expressly incorporated into our risk management program, which includes technology as one of the five primary risk categories addressed by our risk program, with cybersecurity risks being one of the three subcategories within the technology risk category. As a result, our risk management leadership team works with the Chief Information Officer ("CIO") and Vice President of Information Technology Security ("VPIT"), which we refer to collectively as "Cybersecurity Leadership," to define the top areas of risk in both the technology and cybersecurity areas, with such risks incorporated into our risk management program. Our risk management leadership team also meets on a quarterly basis with our cross-functional technology risk working group, comprised of leaders across the information technology, operations, internal audit, information security and legal departments, to monitor developments on an ongoing basis in the threat landscape in order to identify and prioritize key cybersecurity threats that may impact the Company.
Incident Response
The Company has a dedicated cybersecurity incident response team, overseen by Cybersecurity Leadership, which is responsible for managing and coordinating the Company’s cybersecurity incident response plans and efforts. This team also collaborates closely with other teams in identifying, protecting from, detecting, responding to, and recovering from cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents that meet certain thresholds are escalated to Cybersecurity Leadership and cross-functional teams on an as-needed basis for support and guidance. Additionally, this team tracks potentially material cybersecurity incidents to help identify and analyze them. The Company’s
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