Cowan Systems was founded in 1994 by Joseph W. Cowan as a new operating entity, but has origins dating back over 80 years. In 1924 Joseph Cowan’s father established W. T. Cowan, Inc., a trucking company which provided LTL service throughout the Middle Atlantic States.  As deregulation occurred within the trucking industry, W. T. Cowan, Inc. was transformed into an irregular route truckload carrier. In 1994 the company expanded its focus to include the services of a specialized truckload carrier. By 2008 the company’s fleet had grown to 1400 power units and 2600 trailers.