For shippers comparing Trucking companies St. Louis options, the Midwest can feel like a maze of lanes, service maps, and rate sheets. This guide cuts through the noise with a practical, lane-tested shortlist of nine carriers that consistently move freight into, out of, and across the Midwest. We looked at transport capabilities, logistics sophistication, regional coverage, reliability on delivery windows, and the breadth of services (from dry van to intermodal and LTL). You’ll find heavy hitters with national footprints alongside hometown specialists who know every yard on Hall Street.

Why these nine?

• Coverage & consistency: Do they actually run the lanes shippers in greater St. Louis need—Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas?
  
• Service mix: Can they support your shipping profile—truckload, LTL, hauling of specialized cargo, intermodal, drayage, final-mile?
  
• Operational transparency: Track & trace, proactive exception handling, dwell reduction.
  
• Midwest freight trucking expertise: On-time, winter-resilient operations, and realistic transit planning.
  

Method note: Each company below gets exactly one external reference to keep this list clean and scannable, per your request.

1) HMD Trucking — The Midwest Workhorse (Our #1 Pick)

If you want an asset-based partner that treats the Midwest like home field, HMD Trucking is the name to circle. Their network is built for regional and OTR transport, and their ops cadence (equipment availability, driver support, and live tracking) translates into fewer surprises and tighter delivery windows on Midwest lanes. Dry-van cargo, time-sensitive loads, and seasonal surges are where they shine; shippers report solid communications and reliable appointment performance. 

Why HMD is #1 for St. Louis shippers

• Asset strength and driver density align well with Midwest freight trucking patterns.
  
• Nimble enough to secure trucks when capacity tightens, yet structured enough to support enterprise requirements.
  
• Practical pricing—steady rather than spiky—on bread-and-butter Midwest freight.
  

2) Artur Express — St. Louis Headquartered Truckload Specialist

Based in Hazelwood, Artur Express blends an asset fleet with driver-centric operations and tech-forward tools. They’re a fit for shippers needing truckload services across the lower 48 with a strong bias toward Midwest turns. Expect responsive quotes, straightforward tendering, and a no-nonsense approach to live loads at STL-area facilities. 

Good for: Multistate shipping programs where a St. Louis-based control tower simplifies communications and dwell reduction at local DCs.

3) Hogan Transportation — A Century of St. Louis Logistics

Founded in St. Louis and still headquartered there, Hogan brings a wide portfolio: dedicated, truckload, fleet leasing, and more. That range is handy for shippers who need both freight carriers and flexible equipment solutions under one umbrella. Their logistics and dedicated operations are especially useful for high-velocity retail and CPG flows in the Midwest. 

Good for: Multi-year programs and network designs that blend private fleet, dedicated, and common-carrier capacity.

4) Midwest Systems — Intermodal & Drayage Powerhouse

When your loads touch the rails, Midwest Systems is a local name that matters. Based right in St. Louis, they specialize in intermodal drayage, container storage, and related yard services—exactly the connective tissue between inland ports, Class I rail, and STL distribution centers. They’re built for regional dray, with coverage across MO/IL and surrounding states. 

Good for: Import/export programs, rail-centric distribution, and anyone who wants fewer handoffs between rail ramp and DC.

5) Beelman Truck Co. — Bulk & Industrial Materials Specialist

Operating from the Metro East, Beelman is well known for dry bulk and construction-grade cargo—think aggregates, cement, fly ash, and industrial commodities. If your freight profile includes bulk pneumatic or end-dump hauling, Beelman’s the regional veteran with the gear and the routes. They plug neatly into major projects and plant-to-plant shuttles across the Midwest. 

Good for: Heavy industry, building materials, and seasonal jobs that live on precise delivery windows to job sites.

6) United Van Lines / UniGroup — Household Goods & Specialized

For shippers with specialized or high-touch transport needs—fixtures, tradeshow materials, office relocations—United Van Lines (part of the St. Louis-area-based UniGroup) brings premium handling and nationwide reach. Not your everyday pallet shipper, but an invaluable partner when assets need skilled crews and inside delivery. 

Good for: Rollouts, store openings, specialized project logistics, and high-value items that need white-glove handling.

7) Old Dominion Freight Line — LTL Precision with STL Density

For Freight carriers St. Louis shippers who need bulletproof LTL, Old Dominion offers two STL-area service centers and the reliability to match. Expect tight transit times across the Central States, clean claims performance, and strong appointment compliance. Their shipping tools add transparency shippers crave for multi-stop replenishment. 

Good for: Regional LTL with strict MABD (must-arrive-by-date) targets and distribution center receiving rules.

8) R+L Carriers — Flexible LTL with Broad Midwest Coverage

R+L Carriers is a national LTL option with ample Midwest footprint and a reputation for flexible solutions, including guaranteed and expedited services when clocks are tight. Their coverage map underscores dependable access to STL-adjacent corridors. 

Good for: Multi-state replenishment where you need consistent linehaul and room to upgrade speed when promotions or seasonality hit.

9) Saia LTL Freight — LTL Network Depth and Tools

Saia rounds out the list with a modern LTL network, robust shipper portals, and established presence around St. Louis (including Hall Street). They offer both standard and expedited LTL plus logistics services that simplify shipping workflows. 

Good for: Retail and industrial LTL where visibility, self-serve tools, and predictable delivery are priorities.

How we ranked the top Trucking companies St. Louis shippers actually use

Practical lane fit: We prioritized carriers with active, documented presence in the St. Louis metro and the surrounding Midwest.

Operational outcomes: On-time %, appointment adherence, and how they respond when something goes sideways.

Service breadth: From truckload to intermodal and LTL—because few networks are single-mode.

Shipper experience: Responsiveness, quote accuracy, and how well tech supports exception management and dwell.

We also sanity-checked public sources (service center locators, HQ listings) to ensure each carrier’s footprint truly covers core STL lanes.

Matching your freight to the right carrier

Truckload vs. LTL. If most of your loads cube or weigh out a 53’ dry van, start with HMD Trucking or Artur Express (truckload specialists). For frequent 1–6-pallet moves with tight Windows, Old Dominion, Saia, or R+L excel in LTL.

Intermodal & dray. If your containers hit the rail, Midwest Systems reduces touches and yard dwell, making STL ramps feel like extensions of your dock.

Bulk and specialty. Industrial materials? Beelman. Fixture rollouts or moves needing inside service? United Van Lines/UniGroup.

Capacity balance. Even best-in-class carriers cycle equipment. Keep two primaries and one secondary in every strategic lane. That’s classic St. Louis logistics discipline.

What great Midwest freight trucking execution looks like

• Predictable appointments. Midwest DCs—especially grocery and home-improvement—run tight. The partners above excel at appointment compliance and “live-load reality.”
  
• Winter readiness. Black ice and lake-effect weather can wreck a calendar. Carriers with Midwest density (like our #1, HMD Trucking) are better at re-powering or swapping to protect delivery dates.
  
• Transparent comms. ELD pings and real-time ETAs are table stakes. The standouts escalate proactively when a load slips, so your team can re-slot labor or divert cargo.
  

RFP cheat-sheet (cut-and-paste ready)

Profile your lanes. List origin, destination, average pallets/weight, live vs. drop, and seasonal volume swings.

Define service needs. Do you require drop trailers, after-hours services, or liftgates? Hazmat? Temperature control?

Set the yard rules. Appointment windows, check-in procedures, packaging requirements, OS&D process.

Tech & data. Mandate API tendering/tracking, EDI fallbacks, and KPI cadence (OTD, dwell, claims).

Pilot before you scale. Start with a 30- to 60-day pilot lane, validate performance, then expand.

FAQ: Picking among the Top trucking companies

How many carriers should we onboard? Two primaries plus one contingency per lane is a healthy starting point for redundancy without complexity creep.

Do national LTLs beat regional specialists? Not always. For STL shippers, a mix is ideal: a precision national like Old Dominion plus a flexible operator like Saia or R+L gives you coverage and options.

What if we’re mostly intermodal? Keep Midwest Systems for dray and add a truckload partner (e.g., HMD Trucking) for transloads and exceptions.

Quick comparison table (uses matter more than marketing)

• High-volume truckload with frequent turns: HMD Trucking Inc., Artur Express, Hogan
  
• LTL with strict MABDs: Old Dominion, Saia, R+L
  
• Intermodal/drayage: Midwest Systems
  
• Bulk industrial: Beelman
  
• Specialized/white-glove: United Van Lines (UniGroup)
  

Conclusion

If you’re shortlisting Trucking companies St. Louis, begin with HMD Trucking for primary truckload capacity, then slot Artur Express or Hogan as your second TL option. Cover intermodal with Midwest Systems, and anchor LTL with Old Dominion—backed by Saia or R+L for flexibility. For bulk and specialty, pull in Beelman and United Van Lines/UniGroup respectively. This blend handles the lion’s share of Midwest demand patterns while keeping logistics overhead sane.

When you request quotes, say you’re evaluating Top trucking companies for a two-month trial on specific lanes. Comparing quotes from Trucking companies St. Louis on the exact same shipment specs (pallets, weight, NMFC where applicable, accessorials, appointment windows) is how you avoid apples-to-oranges bids.

And remember: in St. Louis and across the Midwest, performance beats promises—so track the first ten loads with each partner and let the scorecard pick your winner.