Universal Truckload Services has acquired the truckload operations of Pacer Transport
, as part of a Limited Asset Purchase Agreement. The assets purchased include customer, owner-operator, and agent lists and files, as well as owned trailers, used in operations consisting primarily of flatbed, van, and specialized heavy-haul equipment services throughout the U.S.

The assets are expected to be integrated into Universal Am-Can, a subsidiary of Universal Truckload, following the close of the deal in August.

Pacer Transport is made up of about 130 agents, 480 owner-operators and 99 company trucks. Universal hopes the purchase will result in about $30 million to $40 million in additional revenues, without affecting its net income for the third and fourth quarters of 2009.

"We expect the asset-light business model to integrate nicely with our current operations and that we will be able to achieve efficiencies through this acquisition," said Don Cochran, president and CEO of Universal. "We appreciate all the efforts of our acquisition team and look forward to the strengths and opportunities that the group of Pacer Transport's agents and owner operators will add to our organization."