R+L Carriers

R+L Carriers

Company type	Private, family-owned
Industry	Freight transportation, logistics
Founded	1965 (1965)
Founder	Ralph L. "Larry" Roberts I, Ronald Campbell Jr.
Headquarters	Wilmington, Ohio , United States
Area served	Contiguous United States (48 states), Canada, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic
Key people	Ralph L. "Larry" Roberts I
Products	Freight transportation services
Website	www.rlcarriers.com

R+L Carriers is a family-owned American freight transportation firm headquartered in Wilmington, Ohio. Over the course of more than five decades, it has grown from a single truck operation to a fleet comprising 21,000 tractors and trailers. The company provides services throughout all 48 contiguous states, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic.

History

Established in 1965 by Ralph L. "Larry" Roberts I alongside Ronald Campbell Jr., R+L initially operated with one truck focused on furniture hauling. Following Campbell’s exit, Roberts expanded the enterprise by securing intrastate and interstate operating authority previously held by Mayflower Moving and Storage, rebranding the business as R+L Carriers, Inc. The deregulation introduced by the 1980 Motor Carrier Act facilitated the company’s incorporation and the creation of R+L Transfer, Inc.

Originating in Ohio, R+L extended its reach into five other Midwestern and Southern states. The acquisition of Gator Freightways, Inc. in 1989 bolstered its presence in the Southern region. Subsequent expansions included purchasing Greenwood Motor Lines, Inc. in 1992 and Texas-based Herder Truck Lines, Inc. in 1996. The company continued to grow by opening terminals and initiating services in New York City along with 23 additional states, achieving full state coverage in New York and establishing partnerships to extend services to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

The company’s western growth accelerated with new operations launched across six states in 2003, an additional state in 2005, followed by expansions into Oregon and Washington in 2006. By spring 2007, R+L had established service centers in northern California cities such as Fresno, Sacramento, and Oakland. Further facilities opened in Fontana and Los Angeles completed comprehensive coverage along the West Coast. Currently, R+L Carriers manages an average daily volume of 45,000 shipments within these markets.

Lima Company Memorial

• R+L Carriers sponsors and transports the Lima Company Memorial, which features life-sized portraits of 23 fallen Marines created by artist Anita Miller. This memorial tours nationwide to pay tribute to the Marines and their families.

Professional Golf

• Since 2015, R+L Carriers has served as the presenting sponsor of the Coates Golf Championship, an LPGA tournament held at Golden Ocala in Florida. Coates Golf, the title sponsor, focuses on women’s golf equipment.

Motorsports

• In October 2025, R+L Carriers announced its sponsorship of Elite Motorsports and Tony Stewart for the NHRA drag racing season of that year.
• From 2022 through 2025, the company was the primary sponsor for NHRA Top Fuel Dragster driver Josh Hart.
• In 2006, R+L Carriers sponsored the #17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford driven by Matt Kenseth for Roush Fenway Racing.
• The company became an associate sponsor for JEGS Racing’s NHRA Pro Stock Chevrolet driven by Jeg Coughlin Jr. in 2009.
• Additionally, R+L supports the Roberts Pulling Team competing in the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA), Pro Pulling League (PPL), and Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association (OSTPA), providing annual sponsorship to these organizations.

NCAA College Football

• Since the New Orleans Bowl's move following Hurricane Katrina in 2006, R+L Carriers has served as its sponsor and has renewed this partnership through 2021.

References

Notes

External links

• R+L Carriers