A bidding war is on for the Canadian trucking business of Vitran, as TransForce counters an offer from Manitoulin Transport. The contest for Vitran is part of a larger battle to consolidate trucking operations in Canada being waged by companies such as TransForce and Manitoulin.

Vitran is putting a buffer between its profitable Canadian trucking operations and any unwelcome suitors, adopting a “shareholder rights plan” designed to slow or ward off any unsolicited bids.

Matthew Moroun just may have made the trucking deal of the decade, if not the new century. For only $2 million and the assumption of about $30 million in debt, the vice chairman of CenTra and son of trucking magnate Manuel “Matty” Moroun hopes to pick up the U.S. operations of $703 million Toronto-based Vitran.

TransForce, the $3.1 billion Canadian trucking operator, is bidding to acquire the Canadian operations of less-than-truckload carrier Vitran, less than a week after Toronto-based Vitran announced the sale of its U.S. business.

Vitran Express hopes to find a route back to profitability with a little help from its friends, in this case partner comp

Vitran reported profit in the first quarter of 2013 of $67.7 million, compared with a net loss of $5.8 million in the first quarter of 2012.

TransForce has indirectly disposed of 500,000 common shares of Vitran Corporation, representing 3.05 percent of the issued and outstanding common shares of Vitran.

North American trucking company TransForce has acquired about 1.8 million common shares of less-than-truckload operator Vitran Corp., representing 10.75 percent of the issued and outstanding common shares of Vitran.

Transportation and supply chain firm Vitran today reported a net loss of $10.10 million in the third quarter.