Pamt Corp: Form 10-K for the period ended Dec 31, 2023

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “P.A.M.,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” mean P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

We are a holding company that owns subsidiaries engaged in providing truckload dry van carrier services transporting general commodities throughout the continental United States and Mexico, as well as in certain Canadian provinces. Our consolidated operating subsidiaries also provide transportation services in Mexico under agreements with Mexican carriers. Our freight consists primarily of automotive parts, expedited goods, consumer goods, such as general retail store merchandise, and manufactured goods, such as heating and air conditioning units.

P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. is a holding company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in June 1986. We conduct operations and hold assets principally through the following wholly-owned subsidiaries: P.A.M. Transport, Inc., Met Express, Inc., Costar Real Estate Holding, Inc., Costar Equipment, Inc., Costar Management, Inc., Select CDL Driving School, Inc., Unmoored Realty, LLC, T.T.X., LLC, P.A.M. Cartage Carriers, LLC, Overdrive Leasing, LLC, Choctaw Express, LLC, Choctaw Brokerage, Inc., Transcend Logistics, Inc., Decker Transport Co., LLC, East Coast Transport and Logistics, LLC, S & L Logistics, Inc., P.A.M. International, Inc, and P.A.M. Mexico Holdings LLC. Our operating authorities are held by P.A.M. Transport, Inc., Met Express, Inc., P.A.M. Cartage Carriers, LLC, Choctaw Express, LLC, Choctaw Brokerage, Inc., T.T.X., LLC, Decker Transport Co., LLC, and East Coast Transport and Logistics, LLC.

We are headquartered and maintain our primary terminal, maintenance facilities, and our corporate and administrative offices in Tontitown, Arkansas, which is located in northwest Arkansas, a major center for the trucking industry and where the support services for most major truck and trailer equipment manufacturers are readily available.

Segment Financial Information

The operations of the Company’s subsidiaries are all in the motor carrier segment and are aggregated into a single reporting segment in accordance with the aggregation criteria under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”).

Operations

Our subsidiaries’ operations can generally be classified into truckload services or brokerage and logistics services. This designation is based primarily on the ownership of the asset that performed the freight transportation service. Truckload services are performed by Company divisions that generally utilize Company-owned trucks, long-term contractors, or single-trip contractors to transport loads of freight for customers, while brokerage and logistics services coordinate or facilitate the transport of loads of freight for customers and generally involve the utilization of single-trip contractors. Both our truckload operations and our brokerage and logistics operations have similar economic characteristics and are impacted by virtually the same economic factors as discussed elsewhere in this Report. Truckload services operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, represented 65.3%, 66.1% and 67.0% of total operating revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The remaining operating revenues, before fuel surcharge, for the same periods were generated by brokerage and logistics services, representing 34.7%, 33.9% and 33.0%, respectively.

Approximately 63% of the Company's revenues are derived from domestic shipments while approximately 37% of the Company’s revenues are derived from freight originating from or destined to locations in Mexico or Canada.

Business and Growth Strategy

Our strategy focuses on the following elements:

Providing a Full Suite of Complementary Truckload Transportation Solutions. Our objective is to provide our customers with a comprehensive solution to their truckload transportation needs. Our array of asset-based service offerings consists of dedicated, expedited, automotive, local, regional, and long-haul truckload services. Our brokerage and logistics solutions offer similar services but utilize third-party equipment to expand available capacity. Our area of service includes the continental United States, Mexico and, to a lesser degree, Canada.

Developing Customer Relationships within High Density Traffic Lanes. We strive to maximize utilization and increase revenue per truck while minimizing our time and empty miles between loads. In this regard, we seek to provide equipment to our customers in defined regions and disciplined traffic lanes. This strategy enables us to:

• maintain more consistent equipment capacity;
• provide a high level of service to our customers, including time-sensitive delivery schedules;
• attract and retain drivers; and
• maintain a sound safety record as drivers travel familiar routes.

Providing Superior and Flexible Customer Service. We strive to provide a very high level of service to our customers, thus creating a level of satisfaction, value, and loyalty within our customer base. We closely monitor each shipment for compliance regarding scheduled pickup, delivery and transit times, service levels and customer specific expectations. We provide verbal and electronic updates through various forums to customers to allow visibility of their products as they progress through the transport process.

Many of our customers depend on us to deliver shipments on a time-definite basis, meaning that parts or raw materials are scheduled for delivery as they are needed on a manufacturer’s production line. The need for this service is a product of modern manufacturing and assembly methods that are designed to decrease inventory levels and handling costs. Such requirements place a premium on our delivery performance and reliability.

Employing Stringent Cost Controls. Throughout our organization, emphasis is placed on gaining efficiency in our processes with the primary goals of decreasing costs and improving customer satisfaction. Maintaining a high level of efficiency and prioritizing our focus on improvements allows us to minimize the number of non-driving personnel we employ and positively influence other overhead costs. Expenses are intensely scrutinized for opportunities for elimination, reduction or to further leverage our purchasing power to achieve more favorable pricing.

Industry

According to the American Trucking Association’s “American Trucking Trends 2023” report, the trucking industry generated over $940 billion in revenue during 2022 which represented approximately 81% of the total amount spent on U.S. freight. The truckload industry is highly fragmented and is impacted by several economic and business factors, many of which are beyond the control of individual carriers. The state of the economy, coupled with equipment capacity levels, can impact freight rates. Volatility of various operating expenses, such as fuel and insurance, make the predictability of profit levels uncertain. Availability, attraction, retention, and compensation of drivers also affect operating costs, as well as equipment utilization. In addition, the capital requirements for equipment, availability of equipment and potential uncertainty of used equipment values, impact the ability of many carriers to expand their operations.

The current operating environment is characterized by the following:

• competition for drivers;
• competition for freight;
• price increases by truck and trailer equipment manufacturers;
• volatile fuel costs;
• increasing insurance costs; and
• pressure on less profitable or undercapitalized carriers to consolidate or exit the industry.

Competition

The trucking industry is highly competitive and includes thousands of carriers, none of which dominates the market in which the Company operates. The Company's market share is less than 1%, and we compete primarily with other medium and long-haul truckload carriers, with private carriage conducted by our existing and potential customers, and, to a lesser extent, with the railroads. We compete on the basis of quality of service and delivery performance, as well as price. Many of the carriers we compete with have substantially greater financial resources, own more equipment or carry a larger total volume of freight as compared to the Company.

Marketing and Significant Customers

Our marketing emphasis is directed to that portion of the truckload market which is generally service-sensitive, as opposed to being solely price driven. We seek to become a “core carrier” for our customers in order to maintain high utilization and capitalize on recurring revenue opportunities. Our marketing efforts are diversified and designed to gain access to dedicated, expedited, regional, automotive, and long-haul opportunities (including those in Mexico and Canada) and to expand brokerage and logistics offerings.

Our sales efforts are conducted by a staff of eleven employees who are located in our major markets and supervised from our headquarters. These individuals work to improve profitability by maintaining an even flow of freight traffic (taking into account the balance between originations and destinations in a given geographical area), high utilization, and minimizing movement of empty equipment.

Our five largest customers, for which we provide carrier services covering a number of geographic locations, accounted for approximately 34%, 39% and 33% of our total revenues in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. General Motors Company accounted for approximately 12%, 13% and 11% of our revenues in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles accounted for approximately 7%, 6% and 5% of our revenues in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Walmart Inc. accounted for approximately 6%, 9% and 9% of our revenues in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

We also provide transportation services to other manufacturers who are suppliers for automobile manufacturers. Approximately 30%, 31% and 27% of our revenues were derived from transportation services provided to the automobile industry during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Revenue Equipment

At December 31, 2023, we operated a fleet of 2,200 trucks, which included 300 independent contractor trucks. At December 31, 2023, our trailer fleet consisted of 8,567 trailers. Our company-owned trucks and leased trucks are late model, well-maintained, premium trucks, which we believe help to attract and retain drivers, maximize fuel efficiency, promote safe operations, minimize maintenance, and repair costs, and improve customer service by minimizing service interruptions caused by breakdowns. The average age of our trucks and trailers as of December 31, 2023 was 2.9 years and 6.5 years, respectively. We evaluate our equipment purchasing decisions based on factors such as initial cost, useful life, warranty terms, expected maintenance costs, fuel economy, driver comfort, customer needs, manufacturer support, and resale value.

We contract with independent contractors to provide greater flexibility in responding to fluctuations in consumer demand. Independent contractors provide their own trucks and are contractually responsible for all associated expenses, including financing costs, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and taxes, among other things. They are also responsible for maintaining compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations.

Technology

Our trucks and trailers are equipped with cellular-based global positioning and communications systems that allow fleet managers to communicate directly with drivers. Drivers provide location, status, and informational updates directly to our computer system which increases productivity, convenience, and customer visibility. This system provides information that allows us to calculate accurate estimated time of arrival information, which helps to optimize planning and customer service levels.

Our information systems manage the data provided by our on-board devices to update system information regarding the location and load status of our trucks, which permits us to better manage customer delivery schedules, respond to customer inquiries, and perform optimized equipment to load matching, among various other planning and support functions. In many instances, our systems also directly provide real-time information electronically to our customers regarding the status of freight shipments and anticipated arrival times, adding flexibility and convenience by extending supply chain visibility.

Maintenance

We have a strictly-enforced, comprehensive preventive maintenance program for our trucks and trailers. Inspections and various levels of preventive maintenance are performed at set intervals on both trucks and trailers. A maintenance and safety inspection is performed on all vehicles each time they return to a terminal.

Our trucks typically carry full warranty coverage for at least three years or 375,000 miles. Extended truck warranties are often negotiated with the truck manufacturers and manufacturers of major components, such as engine, transmission, and differential manufacturers, for up to five years or 625,000 miles. Our trailers carry full warranties by the manufacturer for up to seven years with certain components covered for up to ten years.

Human Capital Resources

Overview. At December 31, 2023, we employed 2,530 persons, of whom 1,739 were drivers, 274 were employed in maintenance, 260 were employed in operations, 69 were employed in marketing, 116 were employed in safety and personnel, and 72 were employed in general administration and accounting. A total of 2,512 of our employees were employed on a full-time basis as of December 31, 2023. None of our employees are represented by a collective bargaining unit, and we believe that our employee relations are good.

At December 31, 2023, we also had 390 independent contractor drivers under contract who were compensated on a per mile basis. Drivers are paid for an array of services, including calculated miles driven, loading and unloading, additional stops, detention and layovers, among other things.

We contract with independent contractors to supply one or more trucks and drivers for our use. Independent contractors must pay their own truck expenses, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and driver costs. They must meet and operate within our guidelines with respect to safety. We have a lease-purchase program whereby we offer independent contractors the opportunity to lease a truck, with the option to purchase the truck at the end of the lease term. We believe our lease-purchase program has contributed to our ability to attract and retain independent contractors. At December 31, 2023, our lease-purchase program had 333 trucks available for use, with approximately 280 drivers participating in the program.

Diversity and Inclusion. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to our ability to win in the marketplace and enable our workforce and communities to succeed. Specifically, having a diverse and inclusive workplace allows us to attract and retain the best employees to deliver results for our shareholders. A qualified, diverse, and inclusive workforce also helps us represent the broad cross-section of ideas, values, and beliefs of our employees, customers, and communities. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion means that we will continue to strive to establish and improve an inclusive workplace environment where employees from all backgrounds can succeed and be heard.

Employee Health and Safety. We are committed to being an industry leader in health and safety standards. The physical health, wellbeing, and mental health of our employees is crucial to our success. In addition to strict application screening and drug testing, before being permitted to operate a vehicle, our drivers must undergo classroom instruction on our policies and procedures, safety techniques as taught by the Smith System of Defensive Driving, and the proper operation of equipment, and must pass both written and road tests. Instruction in defensive driving and safety techniques continues after hiring, with seminars at several of our terminals. At December 31, 2023, we employed 85 persons on a full-time basis in our driver recruiting, training and safety instruction programs.

Talent Acquisition, Retention and Development. We continually strive to hire, develop and retain the top talent in our industry. Critical to attracting and retaining top talent is employee satisfaction, and we regularly implement programs to increase employee satisfaction. We reward our employees by providing competitive compensation, benefits and incentives throughout all levels in our organization, including for our drivers. Drivers can earn bonuses by recruiting other qualified drivers who become employed by us, and both cash and non-cash prizes are awarded for achieving certain safety, productivity and fuel efficiency goals.

Intense competition in the trucking industry for qualified drivers has resulted in additional expense to recruit and retain an adequate supply of drivers and has had a negative impact on the industry. Our operations have also been impacted and we have occasionally experienced under-utilization and increased expenses due to a shortage of qualified drivers. Therefore, we place a high priority on the recruitment and retention of an adequate supply of qualified drivers.

Our truck fleet averages 2.9 years old, keeping our drivers safe, comfortable, and on the road. With many dedicated and over-the-road assignments, we allow our drivers to select routes that fit their lifestyles.

Available Information

The Company maintains a website where additional information concerning its business can be found. The website address is www.pamtransport.com (http://www.pamtransport.com). On our website, under the caption “Investors,” the Company makes available, free of charge, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after it electronically files or furnishes such materials to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Seasonality

Generally, our revenues do not exhibit a significant seasonal pattern; however, revenue is affected by adverse weather conditions, holidays and the number of business days that occur during a given period because revenue is directly related to the available work days of shippers. Operating expenses are typically higher in the winter months primarily due to decreased fuel efficiency and increased maintenance costs associated with inclement weather. In addition, automobile plants for which we transport a large amount of freight typically undergo scheduled shutdowns in July and December, and the volume of automotive freight we ship is reduced during such scheduled plant shutdowns.

Regulation

We are a common and contract motor carrier regulated by various United States federal and state, Canadian provincial, and Mexican federal agencies. These regulatory agencies have broad powers, generally governing matters such as authority to engage in motor carrier operations, motor carrier registration, driver hours-of-service (“HOS”), drug and alcohol testing of drivers, and safety, size, and weight of transportation equipment. The primary regulatory agencies affecting the Company’s operations include the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Agency, and the Surface Transportation Board, which are all agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”). We believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with applicable regulatory requirements relating to our business and operate with a “satisfactory” rating (the highest of three rating categories) from the DOT. In addition, we are subject to compliance with cargo-security and transportation regulations issued by the Transportation Security Administration, a component department within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. To the extent that we conduct operations outside the United States, we are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which generally prohibits U.S. companies and their intermediaries from offering bribes to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining favorable treatment.

In December 2011, the FMCSA released new rules regulating HOS that became effective in July 2013. These rules required that a driver take a mandatory thirty-minute break during each consecutive eight hour driving period.

In July 2012, Congress passed legislation renewing the mandate for electronic logging devices and designated authority to the FMCSA to propose a new rule. In December 2015, the FMCSA amended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to establish minimum performance and design standards for HOS electronic logging devices (“ELDs”), requirements for the mandatory use of these devices by drivers currently required to prepare HOS records of duty status, requirements concerning HOS supporting documents, and measures to address concerns about harassment resulting from the mandatory use of ELDs. In May 2018 the FMCSA released a notice that they would allow a motor carrier that installed and required its drivers to use an Automatic on Board Recording Device (“AOBRD”) before December 18, 2017 and who uses registered ELD capable devices that run compliant AOBRD software to continue to do so until December 16, 2019. The Company was an early adopter of ELD capable devices, requiring the devices to be installed on its entire fleet and requiring its drivers to use AOBRD’s since 2010. These rulings affect the majority of carriers, including us, and the Company’s ELD devices were in compliance with FMCSA requirements prior to the December 16, 2019 deadline.

The FMCSA administers carrier safety compliance and enforcement through its Compliance, Safety, Accountability (“CSA”) program that became effective in December 2010. CSA is designed to measure and evaluate the safety performance of carriers and drivers through categorization of inspection and crash results into Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (“BASICs”) including unsafe/fatigued driving, driver fitness, controlled substances and alcohol, maintenance, cargo, and crashes. BASIC scores are evaluated relative to carrier peer groups to determine carriers that exceed certain thresholds, identifying them for intervention. Intervention status might include targeted roadside inspections, onsite investigations and the development of cooperative safety plans, among other things. Ongoing compliance with CSA may result in additional expenses to the Company or a reduction in the pool of drivers eligible for us to hire. In addition to FMCSA action, a BASIC score that exceeds an intervention threshold might have a negative impact on our ability to attract customers and drivers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) jointly developed new standards for various vehicles, including heavy duty trucks, that were adopted in August 2011 and covered model years 2014 through 2018. The standard adopted for heavy duty trucks was intended to achieve a reduction in CO2 and fuel consumption ranging from 7% to 20% by model year 2017. In August 2016, the EPA and NHTSA finalized the second phase of these standards which further reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption for heavy duty trucks through model year 2027. In December of 2022, the EPA finalized an additional phase of standards which is intended to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions to 0.035 grams per horsepower-hour during normal operation, 0.05 grams at low load and 10.0 grams at idle for vehicles with model years 2027 and above. Compliance with these federal and state requirements has increased the cost of our equipment and may further increase the cost of replacement equipment in the future.

The FMCSA Commercial Driver’s License (“CDL”) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (“Clearinghouse”) became effective January 6, 2020. This database contains information pertaining to violations of the U.S. Department of Transportation controlled substances and alcohol testing program for holders of CDL’s. The Clearinghouse rules requires FMCSA regulated employers, among others, to report to the Clearinghouse information related to violations of the drug and alcohol regulations. Further, the rules require that FMCSA regulated employers query current and prospective employees’ drug and alcohol violations before permitting those employees to operate a commercial motor vehicle on public roads, and to recheck each employee annually. The system is intended to remove the ability of prospective employees to fail to disclose past drug and alcohol violations at previous employers to potential employers. We anticipate enforcement of the Clearinghouse will remove certain drivers from the pool of drivers available to the industry and increase competition and related costs to attract and retain the remaining qualified drivers.

Our motor carrier operations are subject to additional environmental laws and regulations, including laws and regulations dealing with the transportation of hazardous materials and other environmental matters, and our operations involve certain inherent environmental risks. These laws and regulations have the effect of increasing the costs, risks and liabilities associated with our applicable operations. If current regulatory requirements become more stringent or new environmental laws and regulations are introduced, we could be required to make significant expenditures or abandon certain activities. Our operations involve the risks of fuel spillage or seepage, environmental damage, and hazardous waste disposal, among others. We have instituted programs to monitor and control environmental risks and assure compliance with applicable environmental laws. As part of our safety and risk management program, we periodically perform internal environmental reviews so that we can achieve environmental compliance and avoid environmental risk. We transport a minimal amount of environmentally hazardous substances and, to date, have experienced no significant claims for hazardous materials shipments. If we should fail to comply with applicable regulations, we could be subject to substantial fines or penalties and to civil and criminal liability.

As issues related to climate change become more prevalent, federal, state and local governments, as well as some of our customers, have made efforts to respond to these issues. This increased focus on sustainability may result in new legislation or regulations, as well as customer requirements that could negatively affect us as we may incur additional costs or be required to make changes to our operations in order to comply with any new regulations or customer requirements. Legislation or regulations that potentially impose restrictions, caps, taxes, or other controls on emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuels such as those used in the Company’s trucks, could adversely affect our operations and financial results. More specifically, legislative or regulatory actions relating to climate change could adversely impact the Company by increasing our fuel costs and reducing fuel efficiency and could result in the creation of substantial additional capital expenditures and operating costs in the form of taxes, emissions allowances, or required equipment upgrades.

Company operations are often conducted in industrial areas, where truck terminals and other industrial activities are conducted, and where groundwater or other forms of environmental contamination have occurred, which could potentially expose us to claims that we contributed to the environmental contamination.

We believe we are currently in material compliance with applicable laws and regulations and that the cost of compliance has not materially affected results of operations to date.

Set forth below, and elsewhere in this Report and in other documents we file with the SEC, are risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements contained in this Report.

Risks Related to Our Industry

Our business is subject to general economic and business factors that are largely beyond our control, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

Our business is dependent upon a number of general economic and business factors that may adversely affect our results of operations. These factors include significant increases or rapid fluctuations in fuel prices, excess capacity in the trucking industry, surpluses in the market for used equipment, interest rates, fuel taxes, license and registration fees, insurance premiums, self-insurance levels, and difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified drivers, independent contractors, and third-party carriers.

We operate in a highly competitive and fragmented industry, and our business may suffer if we are unable to adequately address any downward pricing pressures or other factors that may adversely affect our ability to compete with other carriers.

Further, we are affected by recessionary economic cycles and downturns in customers’ business cycles, particularly in market segments and industries, such as the automotive industry, where we have a significant concentration of customers. Economic conditions may also adversely affect our customers and their ability to pay for our services.

Deterioration in the United States and/or world economies could exacerbate any difficulties experienced by our customers and suppliers in obtaining financing, which, in turn, could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may be adversely impacted by fluctuations in the price and availability of diesel fuel.

Diesel fuel represents a significant operating expense for the Company and we do not currently hedge against the risk of diesel fuel price increases. An increase in diesel fuel prices or diesel fuel taxes, or any change in federal or state regulations that results in such an increase, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results to the extent we are unable to recoup such increases from customers in the form of increased freight rates or through fuel surcharges. Historically, we have been able to offset, to a certain extent, diesel fuel price increases through fuel surcharges to our customers, but we cannot be certain that we will be able to do so in the future. We continuously monitor the components of our pricing, including base freight rates and fuel surcharges, and address individual account profitability issues with our customers when necessary.

Difficulty in attracting drivers and independent contractors could affect our profitability and ability to grow.

The transportation industry often experiences significant difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified drivers and independent contractors. This shortage is exacerbated by several factors, including demand from competing industries, such as manufacturing, construction and farming, demand from other transportation companies, and the impact of regulations, including CSA and hours of service rules and other difficulties attracting and training new drivers. Economic conditions affecting operating costs such as fuel, insurance, equipment and maintenance costs can negatively impact the number of qualified independent contractors available to us. We have occasionally experienced under-utilization and increased expenses due to a shortage of qualified drivers. If we are unable to attract drivers or contract with independent contractors when needed, we could be required to further adjust our driver compensation packages, increase driver recruiting efforts, or let trucks sit idle, any of which could adversely affect our growth and profitability.

Purchase price increases for new revenue equipment, decreases in the value of used revenue equipment and/or disruptions in the availability of new revenue equipment could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Over the past decade, the purchase price of new revenue equipment has increased significantly as equipment manufacturers recover increased materials and engine design costs resulting from compliance with increasingly stringent EPA engine emission standards, government tariffs on raw materials and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Additional EPA emission mandates, tariff increases on raw materials, or other factors that increase material or manufacturing costs of new equipment in the future could increase the purchase price paid by the Company for new revenue equipment and could result in higher than anticipated depreciation expenses. If we are unable to offset any such increase in expenses with freight rate increases, our cash flows and results of operations could be adversely affected. If the market price for used revenue equipment declines, we could incur substantial losses upon disposition of our revenue equipment which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We have significant ongoing capital requirements that could affect our liquidity and profitability if we are unable to generate sufficient cash from operations or obtain sufficient financing on favorable terms.

The trucking industry is capital intensive. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash from operations in the future, we may have to limit our growth, enter into unfavorable financing arrangements, or operate our revenue equipment for longer periods, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

We operate in a highly regulated industry and increased costs of compliance with, or liability for violation of, existing or future regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our operations are authorized and regulated by various federal and state agencies in the United States, Mexico and Canada that generally govern such activities as authorization to engage in motor carrier operations, safety, and financial reporting. Specific standards and regulations such as equipment dimensions, engine emissions, maintenance, drivers’ hours of service, drug and alcohol testing, and hazardous materials are regulated by the Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and various other state and federal agencies. We may become subject to new or more restrictive regulations imposed by these authorities, which could significantly impair equipment and driver productivity and increase operating expenses.

The FMCSA administers carrier safety compliance and enforcement through its CSA program, which places carriers in peer groups and assigns each carrier a relative ranking compared to their peers in various categories. Carriers that exceed allowable thresholds in a particular category are placed in “intervention” status by the FMCSA until the score improves to a level below the threshold. While the Company has not exceeded allowable thresholds to date, if future roadside inspections or crashes were to result in the Company being placed in intervention status, we may incur additional operating costs to improve our safety program in deficient categories, experience increased roadside inspections, or have onsite visits by the FMCSA. If the intervention category is not remedied, it could affect our ability to attract and retain drivers and customers as they seek competitive carriers with scores below intervention thresholds. In addition, the CSA program could increase competition and related compensation and recruitment costs for drivers and independent contractors by reducing the pool of qualified drivers if existing drivers exit the profession, become disqualified due to low scores or as carriers focus recruiting efforts on drivers with the best relative safety scores.

The EPA and the NHTSA jointly developed new standards for various vehicles, including heavy duty trucks, that were adopted in August 2011 and cover model years 2014 through 2018. The standard adopted for heavy duty trucks was intended to achieve a reduction in CO2 and fuel consumption ranging from 7% to 20% by model year 2017. In August 2016, the EPA and NHTSA finalized the second phase of these standards which will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption for heavy duty trucks through model year 2027. In December of 2022, the EPA finalized an additional phase of standards which is intended to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions to 0.035 grams per horsepower-hour during normal operation, 0.05 grams at low load and 10.0 grams at idle for vehicles with model years 2027 and above. Compliance with these federal and state requirements has increased the cost of our equipment and may further increase the cost of replacement equipment in the future.

The Regulation section in Item 1 of Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K discusses several proposed and final regulations that could materially impact our business and operations.

A determination that independent contractors are employees could expose us to various liabilities and additional costs.

Federal and state legislation as well as tax and other regulatory authorities often seek to assert that independent contractors in the transportation service industry are employees rather than independent contractors. Recently issued rulemaking by the U.S. Department of Labor, which is effective March 11, 2024, and the laws of several states, including California, apply stricter tests for determining whether an independent contractor should be classified as an employee. We believe we are in compliance with all applicable independent contractor classification requirements. However, it is possible that other federal or state legislation or regulations could be enacted or that various authorities could assert a position that re-classifies independent contractors as employees. If our independent contractors are determined to be properly classified as employees, that determination could materially increase our exposure under a variety of federal and state tax, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, labor, employment and tort laws, as well as our potential liability for employee benefits. In addition, such changes may be applied retroactively, and if so, we may be required to pay additional amounts to compensate individuals for prior time periods. Any of the above increased costs would adversely affect our business and operating results.

We may incur additional operating expenses or liabilities as a result of potential future requirements to address climate change issues.

As issues related to climate change become more prevalent, federal, state and local governments, as well as some of our customers, have made efforts to respond to these issues. This increased focus on sustainability may result in new legislation or regulations and customer requirements that could negatively affect us as we may incur additional costs or be required to make changes to our operations in order to comply with any new regulations or customer requirements. Legislation or regulations that potentially impose restrictions, caps, taxes, or other controls on emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuels such as those used in the Company’s trucks, could adversely affect our operations and financial results. More specifically, legislative or regulatory actions relating to climate change could adversely impact the Company by increasing our fuel costs and reducing fuel efficiency and could result in the creation of substantial additional capital expenditures and operating costs in the form of taxes, emissions allowances, or required equipment upgrades. Any of these factors could impair our operating efficiency and productivity and result in higher operating costs. In addition, revenues could decrease if we are unable to meet regulatory or customer sustainability requirements. These additional costs, changes in operations, or loss of revenues could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Business

Numerous competitive factors could impair our ability to operate at an acceptable profit. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• we compete with many other truckload carriers of varying sizes and, to a lesser extent, with less-than-truckload carriers and railroads, some of which have more equipment and greater capital resources than we do;
• some of our competitors periodically reduce their freight rates to gain business, especially during times of reduced growth rates in the economy, which may limit our ability to maintain or increase freight rates, maintain our margins or maintain significant growth in our business;
• many customers reduce the number of carriers they use by selecting so-called “core carriers” as approved service providers, and in some instances we may not be selected;
• many customers periodically accept bids from multiple carriers for their shipping needs, and this process may depress freight rates or result in the loss of some of our business to competitors;
• the trend toward consolidation in the trucking industry may create other large carriers with greater financial resources and other competitive advantages relating to their size and with whom we may have difficulty competing;
• advances in technology require increased investments to remain competitive, and our customers may not be willing to accept higher freight rates to cover the cost of these investments;
• competition from Internet-based and other logistics and freight brokerage companies may adversely affect our customer relationships and freight rates; and
• economies of scale that may be passed on to smaller carriers by procurement aggregation providers may improve their ability to compete with us.

We are highly dependent on our major customers, the loss of one or more of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

A significant portion of our revenue is generated from our major customers. For 2023, our top five customers, based on revenue, accounted for approximately 34% of our revenue. Our largest customer, General Motors Company, accounted for approximately 12% of our revenue. We also provide transportation services to other manufacturers who are suppliers for automobile manufacturers. As a result, the concentration of our business within the automobile industry is greater than the concentration in a single customer. Approximately 30% of our revenues for 2023 were derived from transportation services provided to the automobile industry.

Generally, we do not have long-term contractual relationships with our major customers, and we cannot assure that our customer relationships will continue as presently in effect. Any sustained or future reduction in or termination of our services by our major customers could have a further material adverse effect on our business and operating results.

Ongoing effects from recent labor disputes involving several of our customers or the impact of any future significant labor dispute involving one or more of our customers, or that could otherwise affect our operations, could reduce our revenues and harm our profitability.

A substantial number of the employees of our largest customers are members of industrial trade unions and are employed under the terms of collective bargaining agreements. In September 2023, the United Auto Workers initiated a trilateral strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis that lasted several weeks until each of these automotive customers was able to negotiate a new contract with the union. The strike targeted select plants at each of these automotive companies, causing prolonged plant shutdowns for these customers and ripple effects on plants and workers for other customers and automotive suppliers. The effects of these shutdowns adversely impacted our business and financial performance during the third and fourth quarters of 2023 and have continued into the first quarter of 2024. While operations at the affected customer and supplier plants have resumed, some of these customer facilities have yet to return to fully operational status, and we continue to experience reduced freight volumes as a result of the recent labor disruptions. Any sustained slowdown in operations for these customers and any future labor disputes involving our customers could further affect our operations. If our automotive customers and their suppliers are unable to return to full operations in the near future or if these customers are unable to negotiate new contracts in the future and our customers’ plants experience slowdowns or closures as a result, our revenue and profitability could be negatively impacted. A labor dispute involving another supplier to our customers that results in a slowdown or closure of our customers’ plants to which we provide services could also have a material adverse effect on our business.

Ongoing insurance and claims expenses could significantly reduce our earnings.

Our future insurance and claims expenses might exceed historical levels, which could reduce our earnings. The Company is self-insured for a material portion of auto liability claims in excess of two million dollars and for health and workers’ compensation insurance up to certain limits. The actual cost to settle self-insured claims can differ from amounts reserved due to various uncertainties, including the ultimate severity of the claims and potential amounts required to defend and settle claims. If claims costs increase, or if the severity or number of claims increase, and if we are unable to offset the resulting increases in expenses with higher freight rates, our earnings could be materially and adversely affected. Healthcare legislation and inflationary cost increases could also have a negative effect on our results.

We may be subject to litigation claims that could result in significant expenditures.

By the nature of our operations we are exposed to the potential for a variety of litigation, including personal injury claims, vehicular collisions and accidents, alleged violations of federal and state labor and employment laws, such as class-action lawsuits alleging wage and hour violations and improper pay, commercial and contract disputes, cargo loss and property damage claims. While we purchase insurance coverage at levels we deem adequate, future litigation may exceed our insurance coverage or may not be covered by insurance. We accrue a provision for a litigation matter according to applicable accounting standards based on the ongoing assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the litigation, its likelihood of success, and an evaluation of the possible range of loss. Our inability to defend ourselves against a significant litigation claim could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

We have a substantial amount of debt, which could restrict our growth, place us at a competitive disadvantage or otherwise materially adversely affect our financial health. Our substantial debt levels could have important consequences such as the following:

• impair our ability to obtain additional future financing for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or general corporate expenses;
• limit our ability to use operating cash flow in other areas of our business due to the necessity of dedicating a substantial portion of these funds for payments on our indebtedness;
• limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
• make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations;
• increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; and
• place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on, or to refinance, our debt and other obligations will depend on our financial and operating performance, which, in turn, is subject to our ability to implement our strategic initiatives, prevailing economic conditions and certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service and other obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay expansion plans and capital expenditures, sell material assets or operations, obtain additional capital or restructure our debt. We cannot provide any assurance that our operating performance, cash flow and capital resources will be sufficient to pay our debt obligations when they become due. We also cannot provide assurance that we would be able to dispose of material assets or operations or restructure our debt or other obligations if necessary or, even if we were able to take such actions, that we could do so on terms that are acceptable to us.

Disruptions in the credit markets may adversely affect our business, including the availability and cost of short-term funds for liquidity requirements and our ability to meet long-term commitments, which could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

If cash from operations is not sufficient, we may be required to rely on the capital and credit markets to meet our financial commitments and short-term liquidity needs. Disruptions in the capital and credit markets could adversely affect our ability to draw on our bank revolving credit facility. Our access to funds under the credit facility is dependent on the ability of banks to meet their funding commitments. A bank may not be able to meet their funding commitments if they experience shortages of capital and liquidity or if they experience excessive volumes of borrowing requests from other borrowers within a short period of time.

Longer term disruptions in the capital and credit markets as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation, reduced alternatives, or failures of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to liquidity needed for our business. Any disruption could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the markets stabilize or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged, which could adversely affect our growth and profitability.

We are subject to certain risks arising from doing business in Mexico.

As we continue to grow our business in Mexico, we are subject to greater risks of doing business internationally, including fluctuations in foreign currencies, changes in the economic strength of Mexico, difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations and intellectual property rights, burdens of complying with a wide variety of international and U.S. export and import laws, and social, political, and economic instability. We also face additional risks associated with our Mexico business, including potential restrictive trade policies and imposition of any import or export taxes, duties, fees, etc. If we are unable to address business concerns related to our international operations in a timely and cost efficient manner, our financial position, results of operations or cash flows could be adversely affected. Additionally, approximately 37% of the freight we haul crosses the border between the United States and Mexico. In past years, we have experienced delays in Mexico border-crossings due to weather events, immigration-related issues and the reallocation of border agents to other border areas. Any future shutdowns or disruptions of Mexico border-crossings, particularly at the Laredo, Texas border, could materially and adversely impact our operations, cash flows and profitability. The agreement permitting cross-border movements for both United States and Mexican-based carriers in the United States and Mexico presents additional risks in the form of potential increased competition and the potential for increased congestion in our lanes that cross the border between countries.

On April 23, 2021, a decree was published that reforms various laws in Mexico regarding labor outsourcing. Under this new decree, operating companies are no longer able to source their labor resources used to carry out core business functions from service entities or third-party providers and could be subject to the loss of tax deductions and value-added tax credits on payments to outsourced personnel and certain penalties for failing to comply with the new requirements. The passage of this decree has not had a material adverse impact on our business and financial results to date.

Our results of operations may be affected by seasonal factors.

Our productivity may decrease during the winter season when severe winter weather impedes operations. Also, some shippers may reduce their shipments after the winter holiday season. At the same time, operating expenses may increase and fuel efficiency may decline due to engine idling during periods of inclement weather. Harsh weather conditions generally also result in higher accident frequency, increased freight claims, and higher equipment repair expenditures. In addition, automobile plants for which we transport a large amount of freight typically undergo scheduled shutdowns in July and December, which reduces the volume of automotive freight we ship during these plant shutdowns.

Our business may be disrupted by natural disasters and severe weather conditions causing supply chain disruptions.

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or other adverse weather and climate conditions, whether occurring in the United States or abroad, could disrupt our operations or the operations of our customers or could damage or destroy infrastructure necessary to transport products as part of the supply chain. Specifically, these events may damage or destroy our assets, disrupt fuel supplies, increase fuel costs, disrupt freight shipments or routes, and affect regional economies. As a result, these events could make it difficult or impossible for us to provide logistics and transportation services; disrupt or prevent our ability to perform functions at the corporate level; and/or otherwise impede our ability to continue business operations in a continuous manner consistent with the level and extent of business activities prior to the occurrence of the unexpected event, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations or make our results more volatile.

Our operations are subject to various environmental laws and regulations, the violation of which could result in substantial fines or penalties.

We are subject to various environmental laws and regulations dealing with the handling of hazardous materials, underground fuel storage tanks, and discharge and retention of stormwater. We operate in industrial areas, where truck terminals and other industrial activities are located, and where groundwater or other forms of environmental contamination could occur. Our operations may involve the risks of fuel spillage or seepage, environmental damage, and hazardous waste disposal, among others. If we are involved in a spill or other accident involving hazardous substances, or if we are found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations, it could have a materially adverse effect on our business and operating results. If we should fail to comply with applicable environmental regulations, we could be subject to substantial fines or penalties and to civil and criminal liability.

Our information technology systems are subject to certain cyber security and disaster risks that are beyond our control.

We depend heavily on the proper functioning and availability of our information, communications, and data processing systems, including operating and financial reporting systems, in operating our business. Our operating system is critical in meeting customer expectations, effectively tracking, maintaining and operating our equipment, directing and compensating our employees, and interfacing with our financial reporting system. Our financial reporting system receives, processes, controls and reports information for operating our business and for tabulation into our financial statements.

While we are not aware of a breach that has resulted in significant lost productivity or exposure of sensitive information to date, we are aware that our systems are targeted by various viruses and cyber-attacks and expect these efforts to continue. Our systems and those of our technology and communications providers are vulnerable to interruptions caused by natural disasters, power loss, telecommunication and internet failures, cyber-attack, and other events beyond our control. Accordingly, information security and the continued development and enhancement of the controls and processes designed to protect our systems, computers, software, data and networks from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a priority for us and we maintain information security processes and policies to protect our systems and data from cyber security events and threats.

Although we have processes, policies and procedures in place and our information systems are protected through physical and software security as well as redundant backup systems, they remain susceptible to cyber-security risks. Some of our software systems are utilized by third parties who provide outsourced processing services which may increase the risk of a cyber-security incident.

A successful cyber-attack or catastrophic natural disaster could significantly affect our operating and financial systems and could temporarily disrupt our ability to provide required services to our customers and impact our ability to manage our operations and perform vital financial processes, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business. In addition, regulatory and enforcement focus on data protection in the U.S. and failure to comply with applicable U.S. data protection regulations or other data protection standards may expose us to litigation, fines, sanctions or other penalties, which could harm our reputation and adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We have substantial fixed costs and, as a result, our operating income fluctuates disproportionately with changes in our net sales.

A significant portion of our expenses are fixed costs that neither increase nor decrease proportionately with sales. There can be no assurance that we would be able to reduce our fixed costs proportionately in response to a decline in our sales, and therefore our competitiveness could be significantly impacted. As a result, a decline in our sales would result in a higher percentage decline in our income from operations and net income.

If our employees were to unionize, our operating costs would increase and our ability to compete would be impaired.

None of our employees are currently represented by a collective bargaining agreement. However, we can offer no assurance that our employees will not unionize in the future, particularly if legislation is passed that facilitates unionization. If our employees were to unionize, our operating costs would increase and our profitability could be adversely affected.

Our business may be harmed by terrorist attacks, future war or anti-terrorism measures.

In order to prevent terrorist attacks, federal, state and municipal authorities have implemented and continue to follow various security measures, including checkpoints and travel restrictions on large trucks. Our international operations in Canada and Mexico may be affected significantly if there are any disruptions or closures of border traffic due to security measures. Such measures may have costs associated with them, which, in connection with the transportation services we provide, we or our independent contractors could be forced to bear. Further, a terrorist attack, war, or risk of such an event, also may have an adverse effect on the economy. A decline in economic activity could adversely affect our revenue or restrict our future growth. Instability in the financial markets as a result of a health pandemic, terrorism or war also could affect our ability to raise capital. In addition, the insurance premiums charged for some or all of the coverage currently maintained by us could increase dramatically or such coverage could be unavailable in the future.

Future public health crises could negatively impact our financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, and cash flows.

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 resulted in governmental authorities implementing numerous measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter in place orders, increased border and port controls and closures, and shutdowns. These measures and the public health concerns resulting from the outbreak severely disrupted economic and commercial activity. The resulting impact on domestic and global supply chains caused slowdowns and reduced freight demand for transportation companies such as ours. Because we have a significant concentration of customers within the automotive industry, our freight volumes and revenues were significantly affected by the temporary closure of North American automotive manufacturing facilities during the spring of 2020 as a result of the pandemic. Any future delays or interruptions of automotive production and other consumer activity affecting our customers that could result from any future public health crises could further adversely affect our business. In addition, the implementation of measures to protect the health and safety of our employees, customers, vendors and the general public, or any state of federal vaccination mandates, may disrupt our ability to efficiently manage personnel and operations and to recruit and retain driver and non-driver personnel, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results. Further, negative financial results, an economic downturn or uncertainty, or a tightening of credit markets caused by a public health crisis could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and our ability to effectively meet our short- and long-term financial obligations.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Our public shareholders may have limited influence over our significant corporate actions.

Matthew T. Moroun, the Chairman of our Board of Directors, is the trustee of family trusts that collectively own greater than 50% of our outstanding common stock. In this capacity, Mr. Moroun holds investment power over the shares of our common stock held by the family trusts. Frederick P. Calderone, a member of our Board of Directors, is the special trustee of certain of these family trusts, and in that capacity, he exercises voting power over the shares held by such trusts, while Mr. Moroun exercises voting power over the shares held by the other family trust of which he is trustee. The special trustee serves at the discretion of the trustee of the trusts, and members of the Moroun family are the beneficiaries of the family trusts. Messrs. Moroun and Calderone have entered into a voting agreement under which Mr. Moroun agreed to vote the shares of our common stock over which he exercises voting power in accordance with and in the same manner as Mr. Calderone votes the shares of our common stock held by the family trusts over which the special trustee exercises voting power. Therefore, votes cast on behalf of the family trusts control any action requiring the general approval of our shareholders, including the election of our board of directors, the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and the approval of any merger or sale of substantially all of our assets. This concentration of ownership could also limit the price that some investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.

The interests of our controlling shareholders may conflict with those of the Company and our other shareholders.

The interests of the Moroun family trusts could conflict with the interests of the Company or our other shareholders. For example, the concentration of ownership in the trusts could delay, defer, or prevent a change of control of the Company that may otherwise be favorable to the Company and our other shareholders. The votes cast on behalf of the family trusts could also result in our entry into transactions or agreements that our other shareholders do not approve. Our controlling shareholders might also refrain from voting in favor of a transaction that would result in our other shareholders receiving consideration for our common stock that is much higher than its then-current market price. Any such decisions that may be made in the future by our controlling shareholders will be in their absolute discretion, subject to applicable laws and fiduciary duties.

Because we are a “controlled company” under NASDAQ rules, we are not subject to certain corporate governance standards that apply to other publicly traded companies.

The NASDAQ rules state that a controlled company is one in which more than 50% of the voting power is held by another person or group of persons acting together. A controlled company may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including:

• a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors;
• a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and
• the compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.

We are a controlled company under these rules, and these requirements will not apply to us as long as we retain that status. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of NASDAQ.

Our stock trading volume may not provide adequate liquidity for investors.

Although shares of our common stock are traded on the NASDAQ Global Market, the average daily trading volume in our common stock is less than that of other larger transportation and logistics companies. A public trading market having the desired characteristics of depth, liquidity and orderliness depends on the presence in the marketplace of a sufficient number of willing buyers and sellers of the common stock at any given time. This presence depends on the individual decisions of investors and general economic and market conditions over which we have no control. Given the daily average trading volume of our common stock, significant sales of the common stock in a brief period of time, or the expectation of these sales, could cause a decline in the price of our common stock. Additionally, low trading volumes may limit a stockholder’s ability to sell shares of our common stock.

We currently do not intend to pay future dividends on our common stock.

We currently do not anticipate paying future cash dividends on our common stock. Any determination to pay future dividends and other distributions in cash, stock, or property by the Company in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition and results of operations and contractual restrictions. Therefore, stockholders should not rely on future dividend income from shares of our common stock.

Safeguarding the security and integrity of our systems, networks and data is an important element of our business activities. We invest in resources that help us develop and implement various cybersecurity programs and processes that are designed to assess, identify and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats and to address the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Our cybersecurity program utilizes various risk mitigation techniques to manage cybersecurity risk by deploying enhanced detection tools. We conduct cybersecurity penetration tests, purple team exercises, and risk assessments through both internal subject matter experts and with the support of third parties to identify threats and vulnerabilities that could adversely impact our business operations. We also attempt to assess the cybersecurity risk profile of, and threats related to, our business partners, vendors and service providers through various assertions of their security practices. In the normal course, we engage assessors, consultants and other third parties to assist in various cyber-related matters. The underlying controls of our cybersecurity program utilize recognized practices and standards for cybersecurity and information technology security. Our risk-based approach enables us to design and implement cybersecurity programs that are specific to our corporate resources, customer profiles and business network.

Our senior management team oversees our cybersecurity strategy and has the overall responsibility for assessing and managing our exposure to cybersecurity risk, with the audit committee of the board of directors providing board level oversight of the activities conducted by management to monitor and mitigate cybersecurity risks. Our corporate strategy for information security is led by our Chief Technology Officer ("CTO"), who develops and directs our information security strategy and policy. He also oversees the engineering and operations related to cybersecurity and issues the proper response when a cyber threat is detected. Our CTO has 22 years of experience in technology and 16 years in compliance and cybersecurity management. Cybersecurity strategy and updates are reviewed by our senior management team on a periodic basis. The audit committee periodically receives a report on cybersecurity matters and related risk exposure from our CTO or senior management and discusses this exposure and our risk management strategies and related controls with management and the internal and external auditors. When covered during an audit committee meeting, the chair of the audit committee reports on its discussion to the full board.

We have experienced, and will continue to experience, cyber incidents in the normal course of our business. While our approach to cybersecurity risk management is intended to mitigate the threat of a cyber attack or other data compromising incident, it may not be successful in preventing all attacks which could have a significant adverse impact to our business and reputation. See “Risk Factors” above for additional information on risks related our business, including from risks related to cyber-attacks, compromised information security, and technology disruptions and failures. As of the date of this report, we are not aware of any risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition.

Our executive offices and primary terminal facilities, which we own, are located in Tontitown, Arkansas. These facilities are located on approximately 54.9 acres and consist of 113,249 square feet of office space and maintenance and storage facilities.

Our subsidiaries lease facilities in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana; Romulus, Michigan; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Monterrey, Mexico. Our terminal facilities in North Little Rock, Arkansas; North Jackson, Ohio; Willard, Ohio; Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; Bolingbrook, Illinois; and Irving and Laredo, Texas are owned. The leased facilities are leased primarily on contractual terms typically ranging from one to five years and have provisions for early cancellation if we so choose. As of December 31, 2023, the following table provides a summary of the ownership and types of activities conducted at each location:

We also have access to trailer drop and relay stations in various other locations across the country. We lease certain of these facilities on a month-to-month basis from affiliates of our largest stockholder.

We believe that all of the properties that we own or lease are suitable for their purposes and adequate to meet our needs.

We are involved in certain claims and pending litigation arising from the ordinary conduct of business. We also provide accruals for claims within our self-insured retention amounts. On September 1, 2020, we elected to become self-insured for certain layers of auto liability claims in excess of $2.0 million. We currently specifically reserve for claims that are expected to exceed $2.0 million when fully developed, based on the facts and circumstances of those claims. Based on our knowledge of the facts, and in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, we believe the resolution of such claims and pending litigation will not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, if we experience claims that are not covered by our insurance or that exceed our estimated claim reserve, it could increase the volatility of our earnings and have a materially adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

We were named a defendant in a putative class action lawsuit filed on August 6, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The complaint alleged failure to pay over-the-road drivers minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act, violations of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA), violations of the Arkansas Wage Payment Law (discharge pay and unlawful, usurious advance fees), violations of the Arkansas Common Law, and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). We denied liability on all claims. On August 5, 2022, the parties filed a Joint Motion for Preliminary Approval of a Collective and Class Action Settlement. On October 7, 2022, the parties submitted to the court an executed Settlement Agreement and Release, to resolve and release all claims asserted in the litigation from January 1, 2020, through July 31, 2022, for $4,750,000. We did not admit liability for any claim. The District Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement on November 14, 2022, and notice of the settlement was sent to class and collective action members. A final settlement approval hearing was held, and the settlement was approved, on October 11, 2023.

Business Overview

The Company's administrative headquarters are in Tontitown, Arkansas. From this location we manage operations conducted through our wholly-owned subsidiaries based in various locations around the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The operations of these subsidiaries can generally be classified into either truckload services or brokerage and logistics services. This designation is based primarily on the ownership of the asset that performed the freight transportation service. Truckload services are performed by Company divisions that generally utilize Company- owned trucks, long-term contractors, or single-trip contractors to transport loads of freight for customers, while brokerage and logistics services coordinate or facilitate the transport of loads of freight for customers and generally involve the utilization of single-trip contractors. Both our truckload operations and our brokerage/logistics operations have similar economic characteristics and are impacted by virtually the same economic factors as discussed elsewhere in this Report. All of the Company's operations are in the motor carrier segment.

For both operations, substantially all of our revenue is generated by transporting freight for customers and is predominantly affected by the rates per mile received from our customers, equipment utilization, and our percentage of non-compensated miles. These aspects of our business are carefully managed and efforts are continuously underway to achieve favorable results. Truckload services revenues, excluding fuel surcharges, represented 65.3%, 66.1% and 67.0% of total revenues, excluding fuel surcharges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The main factors that impact our profitability on the expense side are costs incurred in transporting freight for our customers. Currently, our most challenging costs include fuel, driver recruitment, training, wage and benefit costs, independent broker costs (which we record as purchased transportation), insurance and claims, maintenance, and capital equipment costs.

In discussing our results of operations we use revenue, before fuel surcharge (and operating supplies and expense, net of fuel surcharge), because management believes that eliminating the impact of this sometimes volatile source of revenue allows a more consistent basis for comparing our results of operations from period to period. During 2023, 2022 and 2021, approximately $104.7 million, $128.1 million and $65.9 million, respectively, of the Company's total revenue was generated from fuel surcharges. We also discuss certain changes in our expenses as a percentage of revenue, before fuel surcharge, rather than absolute dollar changes. We do this because we believe the high variable cost nature of certain expenses makes a comparison of changes in expenses as a percentage of revenue more meaningful than absolute dollar changes.

Results of Operations - Truckload Services

The following table sets forth, for truckload services, the percentage relationship of expense items to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, for the periods indicated. Operating supplies and expenses are shown net of fuel surcharges.

2023 Compared to 2022

For the year ended December 31, 2023, truckload services revenue, before fuel surcharges, decreased 14.8% to $460.9 million as compared to $540.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease relates primarily to a 14.2% decrease in our rate per loaded mile, from $2.92 for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $2.51 for the year ended December 31, 2023 and to a 0.8% decrease in loaded miles from 185.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to 183.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in rate per loaded mile reflects the challenging freight rate environment across our industry during 2023, while the slight reduction in loaded miles was largely due to the impacts of the automotive plant shutdowns during the UAW strikes in September and October 2023, partially offset by an increase in our average truck count during the current year attributable to the acquisition of Metropolitan Trucking assets in June 2022. We expect freight rates to generally remain under pressure from customers during 2024 with freight demand continuing to be somewhat impacted by the recent automotive shutdowns and general economic uncertainties.

Salaries, wages and benefits increased from 31.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 37.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. The percentage-based increase relates primarily to an increase in the percentage of miles driven by company-employed drivers, as opposed to third-party owner-operators for the year-ended December 31, 2023 compared to December 31, 2022. The increase also relates to the interaction of a decrease in operating revenues with the fixed-cost nature of employing human capital.

Operating supplies and expenses increased from 6.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 11.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. The increase relates primarily to the interaction of expenses with fixed-cost characteristics, such as rents, driver training schools and operating taxes and licenses with a decrease in revenue. The increase also relates to an increase in the average surcharge-adjusted fuel price paid per gallon of diesel fuel, due to decreased fuel surcharge collections from customers for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to December 31, 2022.

Rent and purchased transportation decreased from 26.0% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 23.5% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in the percentage of miles driven by third-party owner-operators as opposed to company-employed drivers for the year-ended December 31, 2023 compared to December 31, 2022. The decrease also relates to a decrease in the rates paid to third-party owner-operators for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022.

Depreciation increased from 11.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 13.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. The increase relates primarily to an increase in cost for replacement revenue equipment compared to the cost of retired equipment and to the interaction of a decrease in operating revenues with the fixed-cost nature of depreciation expense.

Insurance and claims increased from 6.0% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 6.7% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. This increase relates primarily to an increase in the rate per mile paid for auto liability insurance combined with a decrease in our revenue rate per mile.

Non-operating income increased from 0.5% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022 to 1.2% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2023. This increase resulted primarily from an increase in interest income recognized, as well as a larger increase in the market value of our marketable equity securities portfolio at December 31, 2023 as compared to December 31, 2022.

The truckload services division operating ratio, which measures the ratio of operating expenses, net of fuel surcharges, to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, increased to 97.7% for 2023 from 83.7% for 2022.

2022 Compared to 2021

For the year ended December 31, 2022, truckload services revenue, before fuel surcharges, increased 25.9% to $540.9 million as compared to $429.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase relates primarily to a 13.5% increase in our rate per loaded mile, from $2.58 for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $2.92 for the year ended December 31, 2022 and to a 10.9% increase in loaded miles from 166.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 to 185.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Salaries, wages and benefits increased from 30.6% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 31.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. The percentage-based increase relates primarily to the increase in employees combined with a decrease in independent contractors.

Operating supplies and expenses decreased from 8.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 6.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. The decrease relates primarily to a decrease in the average surcharge-adjusted fuel price paid per gallon of diesel fuel, due to increased fuel surcharge collections from customers for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021. The decrease also relates to the interaction of expenses with fixed-cost characteristics, such as rents, driver training schools and operating taxes and licenses.

Rent and purchased transportation increased from 24.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 26.0% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the rates paid to third-party owner-operators for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021.

Depreciation decreased from 12.5% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 11.3% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. The decrease relates primarily to the interaction of an increase in operating revenues with the fixed-cost nature of depreciation expense.

Insurance and claims increased from 4.4% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 6.0% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. This increase relates primarily to an increase in accident and legal reserves, recognized in 2022 as compared to 2021 and to an increase in the premiums paid for auto liability and cargo insurance.

Non-operating income decreased from 1.9% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2021 to 0.5% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, during 2022. This decrease resulted primarily from a smaller increase in the market value of our marketable equity securities portfolio at December 31, 2022 as compared to December 31, 2021.

The truckload services division operating ratio, which measures the ratio of operating expenses, net of fuel surcharges, to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, increased to 83.7% for 2022 from 82.3% for 2021.

Results of Operations - Logistics and Brokerage Services

The following table sets forth, for logistics and brokerage services, the percentage relationship of expense items to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, for the periods indicated. Brokerage operations occur specifically in certain divisions; however, brokerage operations occur throughout the Company in similar operations having substantially similar economic characteristics. Rent and purchased transportation, which includes costs paid to third-party carriers, are shown net of fuel surcharges.

2023 Compared to 2022

For the year ended December 31, 2023, logistics and brokerage services revenues, before fuel surcharges, decreased 11.7% to $245.2 million as compared to $277.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily related to a 21.4% decrease in revenue per load, partially offset by a 12.3% increase in the number of loads during 2023 as compared to 2022. The decrease in revenue per load was due to a reduction in rates paid for brokered loads during 2023, as spot market rates were negatively impacted by downward rate pressure driven by the challenging truckload freight rate environment across our industry during 2023. We expect freight rates to generally remain under pressure from customers during 2024 with freight demand continuing to be somewhat impacted by the recent automotive shutdowns and general economic uncertainties.

Rent and purchased transportation increased from 80.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, in 2022 to 84.6% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, in 2023. The increase results from paying third-party carriers a larger percentage of customer revenue, coupled with the interaction of a decrease in operating revenues with the need for purchased transportation.

The logistics and brokerage services division operating ratio, which measures the ratio of operating expenses, net of fuel surcharges, to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, increased to 91.9% for 2023 from 87.2% for 2022.

2022 Compared to 2021

For the year ended December 31, 2022, logistics and brokerage services revenues, before fuel surcharges, increased 31.3% to $277.8 million as compared to $211.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily related to a 20.9% increase in the number of loads carried for customers during 2022 as compared to 2021, partially offset by a 3.5% decrease in revenue per load.

Rent and purchased transportation decreased from 82.5% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, in 2021 to 80.8% of revenues, before fuel surcharges, in 2022. The decrease results from paying third-party carriers a smaller percentage of customer revenue.

The logistics and brokerage services division operating ratio, which measures the ratio of operating expenses, net of fuel surcharges, to operating revenues, before fuel surcharges, improved to 87.2% for 2022 from 88.7% for 2021.

Results of Operations - Combined Services

2023 Compared to 2022

Income tax expense was approximately $10.2 million in 2023, resulting in an effective rate of 35.6%, as compared to approximately $28.3 million, or an effective tax rate of 23.8% in 2022. The effective tax rate is impacted by the effect of state taxes and other factors.

In determining whether a tax asset valuation allowance is necessary, management, in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740-10-30, weighs all available evidence, both positive and negative to determine whether, based on the weight of that evidence, a valuation allowance is necessary. If negative conditions exist which indicate a valuation allowance might be necessary, consideration is then given to what effect the future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and the availability of tax strategies might have on future taxable income to determine the amount, if any, of the required valuation allowance. As of December 31, 2023, management determined that the future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and available tax strategies would generate sufficient future taxable income to realize its tax assets and therefore a valuation allowance was not necessary.

The Company recognizes a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on examination by taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. As of December 31, 2023, an adjustment to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for uncertain tax positions has not been required as management believes that the Company’s tax positions taken in income tax returns filed or to be filed are supported by clear and unambiguous income tax laws. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain income tax positions, if any, in income tax expense. During 2023 and 2022, the Company has not recognized or accrued any interest or penalties related to uncertain income tax positions.

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to U.S. and Canadian federal income tax laws as well as the income tax laws of multiple state jurisdictions. The major tax jurisdictions in which we operate generally provide for a deficiency assessment statute of limitation period of three years and as a result, the Company’s tax years 2020 and forward remain open to examination in those jurisdictions.

The combined net income for all divisions was $18.4 million, or 2.6% of revenues, before fuel surcharge, for 2023 as compared to the combined net income for all divisions of $90.7 million or 11.1% of revenues, before fuel surcharge, for 2022. Diluted earnings per share decreased to $0.83 for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $4.04 for the year ended December 31, 2022.

2022 Compared to 2021

Income tax expense was approximately $28.3 million in 2022, resulting in an effective rate of 23.8%, as compared to approximately $26.0 million, or an effective tax rate of 25.4% in 2021. The effective tax rate is impacted by the effect of state taxes and other factors.

As of December 31, 2022, management determined that the future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and available tax strategies would generate sufficient future taxable income to realize its tax assets and therefore a valuation allowance was not necessary. Management also determined that no adjustment to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for uncertain tax positions was required as of December 31, 2022 as management believes that the Company’s tax positions taken in income tax returns filed or to be filed are supported by clear and unambiguous income tax laws. Additionally, during 2022 and 2021, the Company did not recognize or accrue any interest or penalties related to uncertain income tax positions.

The combined net income for all divisions was $90.7 million, or 11.1% of revenues, before fuel surcharge, for 2022 as compared to the combined net income for all divisions of $76.5 million or 11.9% of revenues, before fuel surcharge, for 2021. Diluted earnings per share increased to $4.04 for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $3.35 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our business has required, and will continue to require, a significant investment in new revenue equipment. Our primary sources of liquidity have been funds provided by operations, proceeds from the sales of revenue equipment, borrowings under our lines of credit, installment notes and investment margin account, and issuances of equity securities.

During 2023, we generated $114.6 million in cash from operating activities compared to $168.8 million and $101.7 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Investing activities used $11.3 million in cash during 2023 compared to using $113.5 million and generating $9.3 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Financing activities used $76.8 million in cash during 2023 compared to generating $0.3 million during 2022 and using $92.8 million during 2021. See the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in Item 8 of this Report.

Our primary use of funds is for the purchase of revenue equipment. We typically use installment notes, our existing lines of credit on an interim basis, proceeds from the sale or trade of equipment, and cash flows from operations to finance capital expenditures and repay long-term debt. During 2023 and 2022, we utilized cash on hand, installment notes, and our lines of credit to finance revenue equipment purchases of approximately $113.5 million and $82.6 million, respectively.

We often finance the acquisition of revenue equipment through installment notes with fixed interest rates and terms ranging from 36 to 84 months. At December 31, 2023, the Company’s subsidiaries had combined outstanding indebtedness under such installment notes of $261.7 million. These installment notes are payable in monthly installments, ranging from 36 monthly installments to 84 monthly installments, at a weighted average interest rate of 4.20%. At December 31, 2022, the Company’s subsidiaries had combined outstanding indebtedness under such installment notes of $264.3 million. These installment notes were payable in monthly installments, ranging from 36 to 84 months at a weighted average interest rate of 3.16%.

In order to maintain our truck and trailer fleet count, it is often necessary to purchase replacement units and place them in service before trade units are removed from service. The timing of this process often requires the Company to pay for new units without any reduction in price for trade units. In this situation, the Company later receives payment for the trade units as they are delivered to the equipment vendor and have passed vendor inspection. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company received approximately $15.7 million and $0.0 million, respectively, for units delivered for trade.

During 2023, we maintained a revolving line of credit with a borrowing limit of $60.0 million. Under this credit facility, amounts outstanding under the line bear interest at Term SOFR plus 1.35% (6.66% at December 31, 2023), are secured by our trade accounts receivable and mature on July 1, 2026. The credit facility also establishes an “unused fee” of 0.25% if average borrowings are less than $18.0 million. At December 31, 2023, outstanding advances on the line of credit were approximately $0.1 million, including approximately $0.1 million in letters of credit, with availability to borrow $59.9 million.

Trade accounts receivable decreased from $134.7 million at December 31, 2022 to $80.6 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease relates to a general decrease in freight revenue and fuel surcharge revenue, which flows through the accounts receivable account, during the fourth quarter of 2023 as compared to the freight revenue and fuel surcharge revenue generated during the fourth quarter of 2022.

Marketable equity securities at December 31, 2023 increased approximately $1.5 million as compared to December 31, 2022. The increase resulted from an increase in the market value of the portfolio by approximately $1.6 million offset by sales of marketable equity securities approximating $0.1 million. At December 31, 2023, the remaining marketable equity securities have a combined cost basis of approximately $30.3 million and a combined fair market value of approximately $43.2 million. The Company has developed a strategy to invest in securities from which it expects to receive dividends that qualify for favorable tax treatment, as well as appreciate in value. During 2023, the Company received dividends of approximately $1.5 million. The holding term of these securities depends largely on the general economic environment, the equity markets, borrowing rates, and the Company's cash requirements.

Revenue equipment at December 31, 2023, which generally consists of trucks, trailers, and revenue equipment accessories such as satellite tracking units and auxiliary power units, increased approximately $51.7 million as compared to December 31, 2022. The increase relates primarily to the purchase of replacement trucks and trailers.

Accounts payable increased from $48.9 million at December 31, 2022 to $62.7 million at December 31, 2023. This increase was primarily attributable to new revenue equipment that was invoiced, or delivered, but not yet paid as of December 31, 2023. This increase was offset by other factors including a decrease in the percentage of miles driven by third-party owner-operators, as opposed to company-employed drivers, a reduction in the bonus accrual and a decrease in amounts accrued for parts at the end of 2023. Accounts payable accruals can vary significantly at the end of each reporting period depending on the timing of the actual date of payment in relation to the last day of the reporting period.

Accrued expenses and other liabilities decreased from $34.2 million at December 31, 2022 to $16.8 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily related to payments during 2023 of amounts accrued for liability and legal claims at December 31, 2022.

For 2024, we expect to purchase 688 new trucks and 1,548 trailers while continuing to sell or trade equipment that has reached the end of its life cycle, which we expect to result in net capital expenditures of approximately $113.1 million. Management believes we will be able to finance our existing needs for working capital over the next twelve months, as well as acquisitions of revenue equipment and any other asset acquisitions or capital transactions during such period, with cash balances, cash flows from operations, and borrowings believed to be available from financing sources. We will continue to have significant capital requirements over the long-term, which may require us to incur debt or seek additional equity capital. The availability of additional capital will depend upon prevailing market conditions, the market price of our common stock and several other factors over which we have limited control, as well as our financial condition and results of operations. Nevertheless, based on our anticipated future cash flows and sources of financing that we expect will be available to us, we do not expect that we will experience any significant liquidity constraints in the foreseeable future.

Inflation

Inflation has an impact on most of our operating costs. Over the past three years, the effect of inflation has been significant. If the current rate of inflation persists, inflation, coupled with supply chain issues and international events could continue to result in increased costs for drivers, employee wages, equipment, fuel and other costs.

Adoption of Accounting Policies

See “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Accounting Policies, Recent Accounting Pronouncements.”

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to adopt accounting policies and make significant judgments and estimates that impact the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Therefore, the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, and associated disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities are affected by judgments and estimates. In some cases, there are alternative assumptions, policies, or estimation techniques that could be used. Management evaluates its assumptions, policies, and estimates on an ongoing basis, utilizing historical experience, and other methods considered reasonable in the particular circumstances. Nevertheless, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates and assumptions, and it is possible that materially different amounts would be reported using differing estimates or assumptions. Management considers our critical accounting estimates to be those that require more significant judgments and estimates when we prepare our consolidated financial statements.

Note 1 in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report describes the Company's accounting policies. The following discussion of accounting estimates should be read in conjunction with Note 1, as it provides additional insight into critical accounting estimates. Our critical accounting estimates include the following:

Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation of trucks and trailers is calculated by the straight-line method over the assets’ estimated useful lives, which generally range from three to ten years, down to an estimated salvage value at the end of the assets’ estimated useful lives. Management must use its judgment in the selection of estimated useful lives and salvage values for purposes of this calculation. In some cases, the Company has agreements in place with certain manufacturers whereby salvage values are guaranteed by the manufacturer. In other cases, where salvage values are not guaranteed, estimates of salvage value are based on the expected market values of equipment at the time of disposal.

The depreciation of trucks and trailers over their estimated useful lives and the determination of any salvage value also require management to make judgments about future events. Therefore, the Company’s management periodically evaluates whether changes to estimated useful lives or salvage values are necessary to ensure these estimates accurately reflect the economic reality of the assets. This periodic evaluation may result in changes in the estimated lives and/or salvage values used by the Company to depreciate its assets, which can affect the amount of periodic depreciation expense recognized and, ultimately, the gain or loss on the disposal of an asset. Future changes in our estimated useful life or salvage value estimates, or fluctuations in market value that are not reflected in current estimates, could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Claims accruals. The Company is self-insured for health and workers' compensation benefits up to certain stop-loss limits. Such costs are accrued based on known claims and an estimate of incurred but not reported (IBNR) claims. IBNR claims are estimated using historical lag information and other data either provided by outside claims administrators or developed internally. Actual claims payments may differ from management’s estimates as a result of a number of factors, including evaluation of severity, increases in legal or medical costs, and other case-specific factors. The actual claims payments are charged against the Company’s recorded accrued claims liabilities and have been historically reasonable with respect to the estimates of the liabilities made under the Company’s methodology. However, the estimation process is generally subjective, and to the extent that future actual results materially differ from original estimates made by management, adjustments to recorded accruals may be necessary which could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Based upon our 2023 health and workers' compensation expenses, a 10% increase in both claims incurred and IBNR claims would increase our annual health and workers' compensation expenses by approximately $0.7 million.

On September 1, 2020, the Company elected to become self-insured for certain layers of auto liability claims in excess of $2.0 million. The Company specifically reserves for claims that are expected to exceed $2.0 million when fully developed, based on the facts and circumstances of those claims.

Our primary market risk exposures include equity price risk, interest rate risk, commodity price risk (the price paid to obtain diesel fuel for our trucks), and foreign currency exchange rate risk. The potential adverse impact of these risks are discussed below. While the Company has used derivative financial instruments in the past to manage its interest rate and commodity price risks, the Company does not currently enter into such instruments for risk management purposes or for speculation or trading.

The following sensitivity analyses do not consider the effects that an adverse change may have on the overall economy nor do they consider additional actions we may take to mitigate our exposure to such changes. Actual results of changes in prices or rates may differ materially from the hypothetical results described below.

Equity Price Risk

We hold certain actively traded marketable equity securities, which subjects the Company to fluctuations in the fair market value of its investment portfolio based on current market price. The recorded value of marketable equity securities increased to $43.2 million at December 31, 2023 from $41.7 million at December 31, 2022. The increase resulted from an increase in market value of the portfolio by approximately $1.6 million and offset by net sales of marketable equity securities of approximately $0.1 million. A 10% decrease in the market price of our marketable equity securities would cause a corresponding 10% decrease in the carrying amounts of these securities, or approximately $4.3 million. For additional information with respect to the marketable equity securities, see “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Marketable Equity Securities.”

Interest Rate Risk

Our line of credit bears interest at a floating rate equal to Term SOFR plus a fixed percentage. Accordingly, changes in Term SOFR, which are affected by changes in interest rates, will affect the interest rate on, and therefore our costs under, the line of credit. Assuming $18.0 million of variable rate debt was outstanding under our line of credit for a full fiscal year, a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in Term SOFR would result in approximately $180,000 of additional interest expense.

Commodity Price Risk

Prices and availability of all petroleum products are subject to political, economic and market factors that are generally outside of our control. Accordingly, the price and availability of diesel fuel, as well as other petroleum products, can be unpredictable. Because our operations are dependent upon diesel fuel, significant increases in diesel fuel costs could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Based upon our 2023 fuel consumption, a 10% increase in the average annual price per gallon of diesel fuel would increase our annual fuel expenses by approximately $8.2 million.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk related to the activities of our branch office located in Mexico. Currently, we do not hedge our exchange rate exposure through any currency forward contracts, currency options, or currency swaps as all of our revenues, and substantially all of our expenses and capital expenditures are transacted in U.S. dollars. However, certain operating expenditures and capital purchases related to our Mexico branch office are incurred within or exposed to fluctuations in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Mexican peso. Based on 2023 expenditures denominated in pesos, a 10% decrease in the exchange rate would increase our annual operating expenses by approximately $0.9 million. Foreign currency exchange rates did not have a material impact to our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 or 2022.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.

Based on management’s evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, our disclosure controls and procedures are designed at a reasonable assurance level and are effective to provide reasonable assurance that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We regularly review our system of internal control over financial reporting and make changes to our processes and systems to improve controls and increase efficiency, while ensuring that we maintain an effective internal control environment. Changes may include such activities as implementing new, more efficient systems, consolidating activities, and migrating processes.

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the last quarter of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Board of Directors and Stockholders

P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc.

Opinion on internal control over financial reporting

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. (a Delaware corporation) and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by COSO.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our report dated March 13, 2024, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

Basis for opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and limitations of internal control over financial reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/S/ GRANT THORNTON LLP

Tulsa, Oklahoma

March 13, 2024