Q&A

Thinking about selling your fleet in 2026? Read this first

A buyer on red flags, leverage and how to prep your books

(Image courtesy David Yomtobian)

As the freight recession lingers on, some carriers just want out. They may be eager to sell their business to interested acquirers to help with scale and financial pressures.

David Yomtobian's firm, Blackstone Capital, has multiple deals pending at the moment, and recently acquired a trucking firm. We caught up with Yomtobian, CEO of Blackstone Capital, to understand what drove the decision and how small business trucking companies can position themselves favorably if they're looking to sell.
—Interview by Shefali Kapadia, edited by Bianca Prieto

Do you think 2026 is a good year for trucking M&A, specifically from the perspective of a small carrier looking to sell? Why or why not?

I would hold off or hire a savvy expert negotiator. The current slowdown and financial stress might make the larger firms with deeper pockets have too much leverage to become vulture funds and underpay to consolidate. While they are taking a big financial risk in the event of a downturn, the potential upside of no longer having to compete on price in certain sub markets would give them a huge competitive advantage. This will cause a ripple effect to other smaller trucking firms in the area that will feel the pressure. Without scale, you can't win a price war, so you have to compete on service and relationships.

What is one big factor that makes a carrier attractive to potential buyers? And what's a red flag?

The owners! If they are smart, ethical and hard working. It also depends if it's a situation where you buy a minority equity position and help the current owner scale or if you're buying the company outright. If you're buying the company, you have to make sure there isn't a key person or employee who has all the relationships that are driving the sales. If they have too much debt on the books, it could become a liability. The goodwill, longevity and brand in the local community matter. A red flag is having too many different entities and bank accounts shuffling different products and/or loans.

You recently acquired a trucking business. What drove that decision?

There are several deals pending at the moment. We mostly invest as a minority partner and help the owner scale by acting as an educator and fractional CFO. When companies are experts at trucking but don’t have time to review entire contracts or understand the ins and outs of complex financial arrangements, it can put their business at risk of falling into a debt spiral down the road. We try to provide honest guidance on how to avoid these potential pitfalls and structure funding in a way that works for everyone.

The decision was driven largely by the owner himself; he is honest, ethical and deeply committed to building a sustainable operation. He’s a third-generation trucker from Red Bank, N.J., with strong family ties and a clear vision for growth. We saw that his account was being pressured by multiple high-rate MCAs, which is common in the industry.

With access to more sustainable, lower-cost capital, under a 1.25 factor with strong monthly terms, his business could stabilize during slower freight periods and expand as the overall trucking economy improves. Ultimately, we invest in people and what they’re trying to build; often, they have the vision and work ethic and just need affordable, properly structured capital to scale responsibly.

What’s one big thing executives of small motor carriers can do to prepare as they seek a buyer?

Don't take expensive capital. Be frugal with unnecessary bills. Avoid commingling personal and business expenses. Pay yourself a salary. And hire a good bookkeeper if a lot of the business requires cash payments to get referral clients, which is common in the industry.