Less-than-truckload carrier Averitt has opened a 100,000 square foot distribution and fulfillment facility in Jackson, Mississippi, the company said Thursday. The site sits near the I-20 and I-55 freight corridors in central Mississippi, next to an existing 57-door Averitt LTL terminal.
The timing aligns with a state infrastructure program. The Mississippi Department of Transportation announced a $400 million project earlier in the week to rebuild roadways and bridges along those same corridors, with rail upgrades included in the plan.
Cookeville, Tennessee-based Averitt said the Jackson warehouse will serve rail connections and support freight moving to ports in New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The carrier is offering flexible space allocations so shippers can absorb seasonal and overflow inventory without signing long-term commitments.
Barry Blakely, president and chief operating officer, described Jackson as an important market for the company and said the facility widens the range of warehousing options available to businesses in the area.
The addition fits a broader expansion Averitt announced earlier this year: 900,000 square feet of new warehouse space, 379 dock doors, and 2,000 truck parking spaces by 2027. The carrier opened a 33-door facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June.
Averitt operates more than 140 terminals concentrated across the US South and Southeast and employs over 9,000 people. Alongside LTL, it runs truckload, dedicated, and distribution and fulfillment operations.
The company also raised driver pay recently. Regional drivers received a 2 cent per mile increase this month, bringing the top rate to 66 cents, and less-than-truckload drivers received a raise at the end of July.
Source: FreightWaves - https://www.freightwaves.com/news/averitt-expands-logistics-network-with-jackson-mississippi-facility