For Immediate Release
Jan. 10, 2021
— Christenson Transportation Inc. is proud to announce that it is expanding its freight network with the recent acquisition of Sharp Transport Inc., a family-owned carrier headquartered in Ethridge, Tennessee.
The acquisition was finalized on December 31, 2021, but the financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Christenson Transportation, which operates about 180 trucks, said it will add another 120 drivers, including a mix of company drivers and owner-operators, to its growing fleet with the acquisition of Sharp Transport.
“What really drew us to Sharp Transport, which is a family-owned company that’s been around as long as ours — 42 years — was its similar culture built around the drivers that matched ours,” said Don Christenson, President and CEO, Christenson Transportation.
“I tell people that it’s easy to quit a job but it’s hard to quit on your friends and family. Our goal is to make our drivers feel like they are part of our family and Sharp Transport shares that same goal,” Christenson said.
The acquisition of Sharp Transport will offer customers additional freight capacity as both carriers largely operate in the same freight lanes in the lower 48 states.
Allie Sharp-Schwalb, who served as president and CEO of Sharp Transport, will step into her new role as Vice President of the company for three years to help with the transition. The company will operate under the name Sharp Transport, a division of Christenson Transportation.
“Transportation has been really good to our family for a lot of years and we just decided it was time to join forces with another family-owned trucking company that shares similar values,” said Allie Sharp-Schwalb. Sharp Transport was founded by Sharp-Schwalb’s parents, John and Rebecca “Becky” Sharp, in 1979.
Christenson also acquired Sharp’s brokerage operation, which will be folded into its own brokerage company, CS Carrier Service LLC, founded by Don Christenson’s father, Gene Christenson, in 1979.
“Our strategic plan has been about preparing for the next generation of management to eventually take over, while the people that have been with me for a long time know they still have a place but their roles transitioned to start doing more mentoring,” Don Christenson said. “Both companies have third-generation family members involved in the day-to-day operations that are dedicated to continuing the importance of a strong driver culture.”
Christenson’s son, RayVaun Christenson, serves as the Director of Operations of Christenson Transportation, while Sharp-Schwalb’s nephew, Chase Atkins will move to his new position as the company’s COO.
About Christenson Transportation
Established in 1979, Gene Christenson founded CS Carrier Service LLC, a brokerage firm in Strafford, Missouri. His son, Don Christenson, started Christenson Transportation in 1995, which runs in the lower 48 states. The company operates two terminals, one in Strafford and the second location in Lebanon, Tennessee. The company specializes in the hauling of high-value, high-risk, and time-sensitive freight including tires, pet food, paper, electronics, and other general commodities.
About Sharp Transport Inc., a division of Christenson Transportation
John and Rebecca Sharp started Sharp Transport in Ethridge, Tennessee, with one truck in 1979. Their daughter, Allie Sharp-Schwalb, started working as a driver manager for the company in 1988 before eventually leading the company as its President and CEO. The company’s main terminal remains in Ethridge, but the carrier also has an office and terminal in Nashville. The company hauls general commodities freight.