BET founder Robert Johnson purchases trucking firm

Jan. 4, 2013

Robert L. Johnson, founder of the BET television network and RLJ Equity Partners, has purchased R. Thompson Trucking from Linx Capital Partners. Terms were not disclosed.

R. Thompson Trucking, which has been rebranded RLJ Trucking, is a minority owned company providing bulk materials and waste hauling services to clients ranging from construction companies and other independent contractors to municipal governments throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. It has been family operated since 1948.

“RLJ Thompson Trucking is the leading transportation company in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Johnson. “We are pleased to partner with a company that has earned a reputation as one of the safest and most reliable carriers in the region. Thompson is a trusted brand and we are delighted and look forward to working with Richard L. Thompson, the president & CEO, to further expand the company’s presence throughout the country. My goal is to make RLJ Thompson the largest minority owned transportation company in the country.”

The fleet has over 150 tractors, 100 dump trucks and 500 trailers.

“We are excited to partner with Rick Thompson and the senior management team of Thompson Trucking, and we look forward to expanding the company’s geographic footprint throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states,” said Rufus H. Rivers, managing partner of RLJ Equity Partners. “Under Rick’s leadership, the company has proven its ability to grow both organically and through acquisitions, and we look forward to continuing this impressive growth trend.”

“We are delighted to join with RLJ Equity Partners and we are confident that we will continue to thrive and expand our national presence in the industry with RLJ’s management and expertise,” said Thompson, president and CEO of RLJ Thompson Trucking. “I am incredibly proud of the company’s solid reputation and our diverse customer base and I strongly believe our partnership with RLJ is a catalyst for significant growth and future success within the industry.”

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