project44 announces 2026 Preferred Carriers 

Every year, millions of shipments move without reliable data: no updates, no confidence, no ability to act. The carriers on this list are the ones changing that, and they are doing it at scale, across every major mode, and in every corner of the global freight network.

We are proud to announce project44’s 2026 Preferred Carriers: 3,745 carriers across 52 countries who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional real-time visibility for our mutual customers. Now in its sixth year, the Preferred Carrier Program recognizes carriers committed to raising the bar on visibility performance, and this year’s class is the strongest yet.

A snapshot of who made the cut: 

The 2026 class spans Ocean, Full Truckload, and LTL modes, and includes asset carriers, logistics service providers, and freight forwarders. With 1,959 North America-based carriers and 1,589 EU-region carriers, plus representation across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, this is the most geographically diverse class in the program’s history. Carriers range from individual owner-operators to the world’s largest freight enterprises.

What makes a Preferred Carrier? 

Carriers are evaluated across three dimensions:

Shipment volume: minimum annual shipments to ensure statistical reliability

Data availability: the percentage of shipments where real-time visibility data was successfully provided

Data quality: consistency, accuracy, and timeliness of visibility events over the measurement period

The same methodology has been applied consistently since the program launched in 2020. Preferred Carrier status is a data-backed credential, not a self-reported one.

Carriers setting the standard 

The carriers that stand out in the 2026 class are not just performing well against the scorecard. They are building the operational infrastructure that makes autonomous freight execution possible, and they are doing it across every major mode and market.

In Ocean, Ocean Network Express (ONE) has set a new benchmark for what a connected carrier relationship looks like, with a booking integration that enables shippers to initiate and manage ocean bookings directly through project44’s Decision Intelligence Platform. Carriers like ONE and MSC are demonstrating that the most forward-thinking ocean carriers have moved well beyond visibility into end-to-end digital integration, giving shippers and LSPs confidence at every stage of the shipment, from booking through final delivery.

Across Europe, Girteka Group and LKW Walter are redefining what preferred-level performance looks like in road freight. Both carriers are fully integrated with project44 via API for Full Truckload booking, enabling automated freight execution across European road networks at scale. For a shipper or LSP managing cross-border freight across multiple European markets, this is the kind of deep connectivity that removes friction, reduces manual intervention, and makes faster decisions possible. The fact that both are among Europe’s most recognized carriers makes the signal even clearer: operational integration at this level is becoming a competitive baseline, not a differentiator.

In North America, FedEx Freight and R&L Carriers each delivered visibility on over 2 million shipments through the platform, while Southeastern Freight Lines, SAIA Motor Freight, and Estes Express Lines each exceeded 1 million shipments, earning Platinum or Gold recognition for sustained performance at scale. Estes Express Lines, Old Dominion Freight Line, and SAIA Motor Freight have also each implemented NMFTA-compliant electronic Bill of Lading through project44, cutting manual documentation overhead and improving data accuracy across LTL operations. Werner Enterprises and Pitt Ohio round out a North American class that demonstrates consistent data quality built into how they operate, not added on afterward.

This is bigger than visibility

The carriers in this program are proof that the freight industry is moving toward something more significant than better shipment updates. Real-time visibility is the foundation. What these carriers are building on top of it — booking integrations, eBOL adoption, API connectivity across full shipment lifecycles — is the infrastructure that makes autonomous execution possible.

As Jett McCandless, Founder and CEO of project44, put it: “The carriers in this program have made a genuine operational commitment. They’re not just sharing data, they’re enabling the kind of autonomous execution that makes supply chains measurably more reliable and less expensive to operate. Booking integrations, eBOL adoption, real-time visibility at scale: these are the building blocks of a freight network that can act on its own, not just report on what happened. That’s what we’re recognizing, and that’s what shippers should be demanding from every carrier they work with.”

For shippers and LSPs, the Preferred Carrier list is a ready-made shortlist of carriers who have demonstrated consistent performance at scale. If you are looking for reliable capacity from carriers already connected and performing on project44’s Decision Intelligence Platform, this is where to start.

Preferred Carrier status is more than a badge 

• Fewer check calls: When you are sending reliable visibility data, shippers can see where their freight is without picking up the phone. That is real time back for your dispatchers on every load.

• Increased shipper exposure: Preferred status puts your name in front of the shippers, LSPs, and freight forwarders who use project44 to make sourcing and routing decisions. It is a credential that works for you before you ever make a call.

• Competitive differentiation: Consistent data quality at scale is increasingly a factor in carrier selection. Preferred status signals you are already delivering it.

• Industry recognition: Being listed among the top 1.5% of a 259K+ carrier network is a meaningful credential to share with customers and prospects.

Become a Carrier of Choice   

Connect to our network: share real-time visibility data with your customers by visiting our carrier webpage.

Leverage our technology: access project44’s Decision Intelligence Platform to gain fleet visibility, resolve connectivity issues, and deliver a consistent visibility experience across every load.

Congratulations to every carrier on the 2026 Preferred Carriers list. You are proof that visibility at scale is possible, and you are making freight work better for everyone in the network. Thank you.

View the full 2026 Preferred Carriers list