Post-war growth
ODFL was one of many unionized carriers impacted by a Teamsters strike that lasted over 10 weeks in 1946. Just before the union called the end of the strike, ODFL drivers in Richmond decided to leave the union and return to work. Other ODFL drivers remained unionized. The financial impact of the strike forced the company to lay off many of its office workers and sell off its operating authority for a major route between Richmond and Norfolk to Davidson Transfer and Storage, to maintain enough capital to continue operations.
Following the strike, ODFL was able to recover. By 1947, it was operating 16 straight trucks, 25 tractors and 35 trailers, and it was profitable. The following year, it began a partnership with Globe Freight Airline, Inc. where ODFL distributed airfreight through Virginia.
After Earl Congdon Sr. died in 1950, Lillian Congdon assumed the presidency[9] and was joined by sons Earl Jr. and Jack. In 1957, Old Dominion extended its operations to most major markets in North Carolina and southern Virginia. Five years later, in 1962, the company relocated its headquarters to High Point, North Carolina and merged with Bottoms-Fiske trucking company.[10][7]
Between 1969 and 1979, the company acquired several competing trucking lines. With the deregulation of the trucking industry in the 1980s, Old Dominion extended its service area into Florida, Tennessee and California and also started serving the major markets of Chicago and Dallas.[10]
In 1991, the company (ticker symbol: ODFL) became a public company via an initial public offering.[10]
On January 24, 2022, ODFL became a Nasdaq-100 company, replacing Peloton Interactive on the index.[11]
David Congdon, grandson of the company's founders, was named president and COO in 1997. Until May 2018, he served as the company's Vice Chairman and CEO. He then succeeded his father Earl Congdon Jr. as executive chairman. Earl moved to the role of senior executive chairman. Greg C. Gantt served as president and CEO until July 1, 2023, when he was succeeded by Marty Freeman as president and CEO.[10][12][13][14][15]
