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Walmart Inc.’s initiatives to strengthen its in-house trucking operations have elevated it to No. 1 on this year’s updated Transport Topics Top 100 Private Carriers list.

Although freight market conditions have been favorable to shippers for the past two years, many of the largest private carriers in North America operate larger fleets now than in years past.

Even at a time when for-hire truck capacity is readily available at com­petitive rates, many shippers have continued to invest in their own private fleets.

Companies including Tyson Foods and JBS SA, which control a sizable chunk of global meat supplies, are set to report a spike in earnings for the quarter ended in June as a rebound in poultry profits counterbalances a downturn in their U.S. beef operations.

The biggest private motor carriers across a variety of industries experienced ups and downs during the past year as they adapted to changing freight market conditions.

Private motor carriers, like all trucking operations, have adjusted to shifting freight market conditions in the past year as truck capacity has loosened and freight rates have softened.

Walmart Canada has expanded its fleet to include for the first time in North America a 60-foot multitemperature-zone refrigerated trailer, built by Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co.

Walmart Inc. is raising pay for its private fleet truck drivers and launching a new training program, the retailer announced April 7.

President Joe Biden said his administration has made strides toward relieving U.S. supply chain disruptions, as he met Nov. 29 with the leaders of major retailers including Walmart Inc. who assured him they have ample inventories for the holiday season.