Old Dominion Freight Line grows service center network in 2020

Leading LTL carrier invests in service center capacity to continue award-winning service

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. expands its network by adding nine service centers in new and existing markets during the first half of 2020. The steady growth solidifies the company’s strong presence across the United States, bringing total nationwide service center count to 238. The less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier’s new facilities include, Butte, Mont., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Conroe, Texas, Jonesboro, Ark., Lafayette, Ind., LaGrange, Ga., Rochester, N.Y, Rock Island, Ill. and University Park, Ill.

The nine new and renovated service centers are strategically placed for operational efficiency and designed with innovative technology. The Company’s investment in each market will support capacity needs, improve shipping time, and enhance delivery flexibility, allowing Old Dominion to better serve customers.

“Even during an unprecedented time, we will continue to invest in our network and look for additional ways to improve our operations,” said Chip Overbey, senior vice president of strategic planning. “Our goal is to build capacity to win market share, while shortening response time and transit times. Our investments align with our long-term strategic plan of investing in our business.” 

Old Dominion selects new locations with the intent of better serving customers. Each service center is built with future growth in mind, including room to increase door-count, potential to hire additional employees, and equipped to leverage the latest technology. The new facilities allow the company to operate with a high standard of excellence and a commitment to employee growth, who are the backbone of each operation.

“Our customers are having to adapt to these rapidly changing times. Our newest service centers are integral to Old Dominion Freight Line’s operations, accommodating unique customer needs and shipping higher volumes of goods. We will continue to invest in long-term solutions to help our customers keep their promises,” said Overbey.

Old Dominion’s service center openings include:

Butte, Mont. – Butte is strategically located near two major highways, I-90 and I-15, and in close proximity to two class I railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad. In addition, the port of Montana provides a variety of services. This 20.25-acre and 42-door service center is a critical gateway to improve deliveries to Canada's international border. As one of six service centers in Montana, this location allows Old Dominion to improve service offerings, shipping times, and better serve customers. 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Located on nine acres, the Cedar Rapids service center operates with 44 doors and room to increase by up to 20 doors in the future. The facility will service the surrounding communities, including Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Mt. Pleasant, Manchester, and Dyersville, where “Field of Dreams” from the 1989 movie is located.

Conroe, Texas – As the Houston metro area continues to see sustained growth, Old Dominion adds an additional service center to the market. This facility has 63 doors on nearly 25 acres and is equipped to expand by up to 100 more doors if needed. The Conroe service center currently has 27 employees.

Jonesboro, Ark. – Just three miles from its previous location, the new Jonesboro service center is one of the largest LTL facilities in Northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel. The new facility is sixty-four percent larger than the previous location, sitting on 14.67 acres of land, with 44 doors and the potential to add over 30 more doors. As one of four Old Dominion service centers in Arkansas, the Company has proudly served this community for over 12 years. 

Lafayette, Ind. – Old Dominion opened the Lafayette service center to accommodate the region’s recent growth. The new facility sits on 23.1 acres with 42 doors and space to double the door count in the future. As the sixth service center in Indiana, the Lafayette location will increase capacity in the area and help OD to provide faster response and service times. The service center immediately created eight new jobs.

LaGrange, Ga. – Located near the Georgia and Alabama border, the move to the new 63-door service center sits in a prime location by two major interstates, I-85 and I-185, and near major retail distribution centers and industrial manufacturers. The LaGrange location is one of ten service centers in the Peach State.

Rochester, N.Y. – Old Dominion returns to the Rochester area after moving operations to a nearby community in the early 2000s. This service center brought 17 new jobs to the community. The remodeled facility has 28 doors and sits in a central location to offer closer proximity to customers. The Rochester location plays a critical role in delivering shipments to and from Canada.

Rock Island, Ill. – The Rock Island service center serves major markets like Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Louis, Omaha and Indianapolis. Located only a few minutes from the second-longest interstate in the country, I-80, the 77-door facility was built on 24 acres. Over the last five years, the economic strength in the Quad-Cities region increased by 5.2 percent.

University Park, Ill. – Out of all of the new service centers this year, the University Park facility has the highest door count with 86 doors. It is strategically placed to provide easy access to the state's major interstates, I-57, I-355, I-80, I-294, and I-94. A high door count and ideal location allows the Company to reduce stem time to the customers and adds more capacity. The new facility moves a variety of essential products like food, cleaning supplies, tires, over-length items and more. This service center also has a unique feature where the dock has trailer bumpers, which helps keep the elements out of the dock.

The newest service centers are examples of Old Dominion’s investment and commitment to its customers as the Company continues to enter new markets, operate with efficiency to meet high standards and further solidify OD’s promise of transporting shipments on-time and in-full.