Heartland Express shakes up operations with CFI rebrand
Heartland Express Inc. says it will integrate and rebrand the U.S. operations of Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI) into the Heartland Express brand, effective December 31, 2025.
In the company’s announcement dated Dec. 9, 2025, Heartland CEO Mike Gerdin said the carrier is moving forward with “the integration and rebranding of the U.S. operations of CFI into Heartland Express,” adding that the approach is similar to how Heartland has handled several prior acquisitions.
For drivers, the biggest immediate change is pay and benefits. Heartland said CFI driver pay will be aligned with Heartland’s legacy operations, which the company says means CFI drivers will see increased compensation and an improved benefits package.
Heartland also said CFI drivers will be able to stay in their current trucks. At the same time, they’ll have the option to operate under any of Heartland’s different brands, giving drivers more flexibility in how they’re dispatched and identified within the company’s network.
The move folds CFI’s U.S. identity into Heartland’s main brand while standardizing driver compensation across operations. Heartland framed the integration as part of its ongoing effort to align acquired fleets under one operating model.
Heartland Express, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a short-to-medium and long-haul truckload carrier in the United States and Canada.
- What’s changing: CFI’s U.S. operations will be rebranded as Heartland Express
- When: Effective Dec. 31, 2025
- Driver impact: Pay and benefits aligned to Heartland’s legacy package; drivers can keep current trucks and may operate under different Heartland brands