Key facts
- Founded 1989 · headquartered in St. Louis, MO
- Privately held
- Gross revenue: $0.125B (est.) per Transport Topics 2024
- Primary freight modes: Dry Van, LTL
About Sunset Transportation
Sunset Transportation is a St. Louis-based freight broker founded in 1989, making it one of the longer-tenured mid-size brokers in the Midwest. With approximately $125 million in estimated gross brokerage revenue and over three decades of operation, Sunset has built dense carrier relationships across Missouri, Illinois, and the broader Midwest corridor — the kind of network depth that translates into consistent capacity on lanes that smaller or newer brokers struggle to cover reliably.
Sunset's core service mix centers on dry van truckload and LTL, with active refrigerated capability for food and beverage shippers. Its geographic home base in St. Louis puts it at the intersection of major East-West and North-South freight corridors, giving it natural lane density into Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and the Northeast. Managed transportation services are available for shippers who want outsourced freight management rather than transactional spot quoting.
For shippers evaluating Sunset Transportation, the primary fit is Midwest-origin or Midwest-destination freight — particularly dry van and LTL — where Sunset's 35+ years of regional carrier development provides a competitive advantage over national brokers with thinner local relationships. The broker is best suited to mid-market shippers who value a stable, experienced partner over a technology-first platform play.
Listing assembled from public records (FMCSA Li-Public, Transport Topics, company website). Are you Sunset Transportation? Claim this profile →
Load Types Transport Topics Top 100
FMCSA & Licensing FMCSA Li-Public
Coverage
All 48 contiguous states
Strongest Lanes
Pros & Cons
- 35+ years in operation — one of the most tenured mid-size brokers in the Midwest, with deep regional carrier relationships
- Strong dry van and LTL coverage across Missouri, Illinois, and adjacent Midwest states
- Active refrigerated capability makes it viable for food, beverage, and perishables shippers
- Managed transportation offering gives shippers a path from spot brokerage to outsourced freight management
- Stable, privately held company — no public market pressure on margins or service trade-offs
- Limited technology investment compared to newer digital-first brokers — no instant quoting or API integration reported
- Flatbed, heavy haul, and specialized freight are not primary capabilities
- Less competitive on thin lanes outside the Midwest where carrier network density drops
- No cross-border Mexico or Canada coverage for shippers with international freight needs
- Air/expedited and parcel not offered — shippers need a second provider for those modes
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FAQ
Is Sunset Transportation licensed and bonded as a freight broker?
Sunset Transportation, Inc. operates as a licensed freight broker. FMCSA MC# and DOT# are not confirmed in this profile — verify current broker authority status at li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov by searching 'Sunset Transportation' before tendering a load. All licensed freight brokers are required to carry a $75,000 BMC-84 surety bond or trust fund.
What types of freight does Sunset Transportation move?
Per Transport Topics' Top 100 Freight Brokerage Firms report, Sunset Transportation primarily brokers dry van truckload and LTL freight, with active refrigerated/reefer capability. Intermodal is available but limited. The broker does not actively cover flatbed, heavy haul, air/expedited, bulk/tank, or parcel freight.
How do Sunset Transportation's rates compare to other freight brokers?
Sunset Transportation is a regional Midwest specialist and typically prices competitively on lanes where it has dense carrier relationships — primarily St. Louis–Chicago, Midwest–Southeast, and Midwest–Northeast corridors. On thinner lanes outside its core region, capacity and pricing may be less favorable. Use ShipperGuide to benchmark Sunset's quote against 50+ brokers before committing to any load.