Everest Transportation Systems, a Chicago-area freight brokerage, is the subject of at least one active federal lawsuit filed by a trucking carrier over a contract dispute, and a similarly named entity, “Everest Transportation, Inc.,” is a defendant in a personal injury case arising from a truck crash in Texas. The carrier suit sits alongside industry reports that Everest has failed to pay multiple trucking companies for delivered loads.
Araiza Trucking’s Federal Contract Suit
On October 11, 2024, Araiza Trucking LLC filed suit against Everest Transportation Systems LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The case, Araiza Trucking, LLC v. Everest Transportation Systems, LLC, No. 4:24-cv-03892, is docketed as a commercial contract dispute and assigned to Judge Keith P. Ellison. Naman Howell and Roberts Markel are the law firms of record.1Law360. Araiza Trucking, LLC v. Everest Transportation Systems, LLC2Law360. Araiza Trucking v. Everest Transportation Systems Dockets
The publicly available materials do not spell out the specific allegations or current status beyond the contract classification.
Carrier Non-Payment Complaints
The Araiza filing fits a broader pattern reported by freight-debt collectors. Reesor & Associates, a firm that specializes in freight collections, lists Everest as a “known debtor” and states that the company’s brokerage authority is either revoked or pending revocation.3Reesor & Associates. Everest Transportation Systems, LLC Freight Broker Alert similarly reports “multiple placements” from carriers seeking to recover unpaid freight charges.4Freight Broker Alert. Everest Transportation Systems LLC Neither source gives a dollar total or a count of affected carriers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s SAFER database tells a different story. As of June 2026, it still lists Everest Transportation Systems LLC (USDOT 2580226, MC-893272) as “Active” with “Authorized” broker status. The discrepancy between FMCSA’s records and the recovery firms’ reports is not resolved in the available materials. Because Everest is a broker rather than a motor carrier, FMCSA reports no trucks, drivers, inspections, or crashes for the company itself.5FMCSA SAFER. Company Snapshot: Everest Transportation Systems LLC
Eade v. Everest Transportation, Inc. — Personal Injury Case
A separate lawsuit names a differently styled entity, “Everest Transportation, Inc.,” as a defendant in a personal injury case arising from a motor vehicle accident. Eade et al v. Everest Transportation, Inc. et al, No. 2:25-cv-01092, was filed on October 31, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.6PACER Monitor. Eade et al v. Everest Transportation, Inc. et al Plaintiffs Justin Eade and Kari Eade sued four defendants: Everest Transportation, Inc., L&P Transport LLC, Richard Franklin Barrington, and Singh Lovepreet.7Justia. Eade et al v. Everest Transportation, Inc. et al
An important caveat: whether “Everest Transportation, Inc.” is the same company as, or related to, Everest Transportation Systems LLC is not established in the available records. The legal names, entity types, and available corporate details differ. Certified crash reports are attached to court filings, but the docket does not publicly describe the accident itself.
The case is active. Recent developments include:
- Defendants Barrington and L&P Transport moved to transfer venue; the plaintiffs opposed and a ruling is pending.
- Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne denied Everest Transportation, Inc.’s motion to bifurcate the trial into separate liability and damages phases.
- Both Everest Transportation, Inc. and L&P Transport have filed motions for protective orders related to corporate representative depositions.
- Mediator Chris Volf was appointed in March 2026.
- A pretrial conference is set for January 28, 2027, with jury selection on February 16, 2027, before District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
Why the Supreme Court’s Montgomery Ruling Matters Here
On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC that state-law negligent-hiring claims against freight brokers are not blocked by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act. Writing for the Court, Justice Amy Coney Barrett held that requiring a broker to use ordinary care in selecting a motor carrier falls within the FAAAA’s safety exception, which preserves state authority over motor vehicle safety.8Supreme Court of the United States. Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, No. 24-1238
Before Montgomery, many brokers used FAAAA preemption to have state negligence suits dismissed. That defense is gone for safety-related claims. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, concurring, said brokers who hire reputable carriers and ask “the hard questions” should still be able to defeat liability through standard tort defenses, while acknowledging the ruling could increase litigation costs.8Supreme Court of the United States. Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, No. 24-1238 For a company that operates exclusively as a broker, plaintiffs injured in crashes involving a carrier the broker selected can now pursue state negligence claims alleging inadequate vetting.
About the Company Being Sued
Everest Transportation Systems LLC was founded in 2015 by Jake Elperin, Lev Krasnopolskiy, and Phil Weber as a tech-enabled freight brokerage. It is headquartered in the Chicago area, with corporate addresses in Evanston, Illinois, and on LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago.9FreightWaves. Cambridge Capital Makes Majority Investment in Everest Transportation Systems10Capital Southwest. Everest Transportation Systems, LLC5FMCSA SAFER. Company Snapshot: Everest Transportation Systems LLC Everest does not own trucks or employ drivers; it arranges shipments between shippers and a network of third-party carriers, covering full truckload, less-than-truckload, temperature-controlled, intermodal, hazmat, and oversized freight.11Everest Transportation Systems. Everest Transportation Systems
The company grew quickly in its first years, reporting more than 100% revenue growth and 200% EBITDA growth in the twelve months before September 2021, with clients including AB InBev, Nestlé, Swire Coca-Cola, and Dollar General.9FreightWaves. Cambridge Capital Makes Majority Investment in Everest Transportation Systems12PR Newswire. Cambridge Capital Announces Majority Investment in Everest Transportation Systems13PR Newswire. Cambridge Capital Announces Combination of Everest Transportation Systems and Simple Logistics