Our Company History

Humble Beginnings & Big Dreams

W. Marvin Rush, the ambitious son of a bus company owner and our founder, began his distinguished career in the transportation industry by opening a GMC truck dealership in Houston in 1965. At the time, the commercial truck sale business was still in its infancy, a fragmented market comprised of many small dealerships spread across the country.

But from those humble beginnings, founder W. Marvin Rush had a vision — to grow the company into a contiguous network of dealerships offering truck sales, leasing and service at locations across the southern U.S. In 1967, the company acquired its first Peterbilt franchise, the start of an enduring relationship with this premium manufacturer. Not long after, Marvin grew the company’s offerings by starting a truck leasing company and a finance and insurance division, offering one-stop sales and service.

Steadfast Growth

Throughout the 1980s, the company steadily expanded its truck leasing, finance and insurance offerings. By the end of the decade, Rush Enterprises had established itself as a leading one-stop sales and service provider. By 1992, the company had exceeded $100 million in revenue, and Marvin’s vision of an interconnected regional network was taking shape. With the acquisition of dealerships in the Los Angeles market in 1994, the company began an intense period of expansion that would last for over 25 years.

Milestones Reached

By 1996, the company had grown to a point that the time was right for Rush Enterprises to go public. The Rush IPO, listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol RUSH, marked the first time a commercial truck dealer had gone public. Rapid growth continued with additional Peterbilt dealerships in multiple states, including acquisitions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The company established expertise in specialty markets with the launch of Rush Crane Systems, Perfection Truck Parts & Equipment, Rush Refuse Systems and Rig Tough Truck Parts brands.

From 2003–2005, Rush added medium-duty truck franchises across the network, representing Hino, Isuzu and UD, expanding the breadth of our product offerings. Later in 2006, the company acquired its first Ford location, in Denver, Colorado.

In 2004, Rush Enterprises exceeded $1 billion in revenue, reaching the ambitious goal set by the company just over a decade before, and completed its second public offering.

In 2006, Marvin’s son, W.M. “Rusty” Rush, became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Rush Enterprises, a position he holds to this day. Born into the trucking business and having worked in the business since he was a teenager, Rusty shares his father’s work ethic, his business sense and, most importantly, his vision for the company.

Integrate and Execute

In 2008, Rush Enterprises acquired its first International dealerships, with nearly 80 to be added in the ensuing years. Today, Rush Enterprises is the largest International dealer in the country.

The company expanded its medium- and light-duty offerings, adding Mitsubishi Fuso and Ford locations as well as independent used truck outlets across the country. New businesses came on board as well, with Rush Bus Centers and Rush Towing Systems making their debuts, followed by the establishment of Custom Vehicle Solutions in 2011.

Rush Enterprises further expanded its suite of aftermarket solutions, with increasing focus on parts and service, launching mobile service nationwide, natural gas service facilities, a RushCare customer service call center in 2012 and a Rapid Parts-dedicated call center in 2013.

The company began its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2010, giving Rush Enterprises tremendous exposure to NASCAR fans, many of whom work in the commercial transportation industry.

With a robust network built through strategic acquisitions across the country, the company turned its focus to "integrate and execute," adopting best practices and standardized business processes throughout its network.

Innovation and Expansion

In 2015, the company further committed to its vehicle aftermarket business with the launch of a robust portfolio of aftermarket solutions. That portfolio has expanded through the years to meet the ever-changing needs of customers in the commercial vehicle industry, adding an e-commerce platform for parts purchasing, a service communication system for real-time repair status updates, a dedicated service concierge team, telematics support and more.

Rush Enterprises also entered the natural-gas fuel system market with the introduction of Momentum Fuel Technologies in 2015.

The company continued its strategic expansion during this time period, and in 2019, Rush Enterprises purchased 80% of the Tallman Group, extending our dealership network presence into the Canadian market, later expanding to own a 50% interest in what is now called Rush Truck Centres of Canada Limited.

Positioned for the Future

In 2021, the company closed on an acquisition of 17 dealerships in the South and Midwest from The Summit Truck Group, further enhancing the support offered to customers across North America.

Momentum Fuel Technologies was repositioned as Cummins Clean Fuel Technologies after entering into a joint venture with Cummins^® in 2022. This groundbreaking joint venture enhances the production of near-zero-emission natural gas powertrains by manufacturing Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems and offering aftermarket support through Rush Truck Centers dealerships and Cummins distributors, which service both the engine and fuel delivery system.

In 2025, the company entered its next chapter as a NASCAR sponsor by partnering with Front Row Motorsports and driver Noah Gragson. As the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Rush Truck Centers also became the official truck dealer and service center of Front Row Motorsports.