Richmond, VA-based Estes Express Lines has bought out Los Angeles-based G.I. Trucking after a nearly 10-year joint partnership.

The two companies formed an LTL carrier network, ExpressLINK, over 10 years ago and in 2001, Estes and the senior management of G.I. Trucking jointly purchased G.I.’s stock, with the two companies merging all communication, administrative, and computer functions into a single system in order to create a completely seamless operating unit.

Though they continued to be managed separately, they jointly collaborated and maintained similar operating and marketing strategies over the past four years.

Now, Robey “Rob” Estes Jr. will serve as president & CEO for the entire operation. G.I. senior management, sales and operations functions will begin the transition of doing business under the new Estes Express Lines ownership – with G.I. Trucking president William T. Reid serving as president of G.I./Estes West.

“The senior management from both companies realized that while the two companies had gone far as separate entities, they could go much farther joined together,” Reid noted. “This is a logical next step for Estes as a national player in the LTL market.”

The combined company fields a fleet of more than 25,000 pieces of power equipment and trailers, 12,000 employees, and increases its network of terminals to 172 serving 46 states and the Caribbean.