Knight Transportation Inc. CEO Kevin Knight will step down from part of his role with the company on Jan. 1.

David Jackson will become CEO and a member of the board of directors, while retaining the title of president, which he’s had since February 2011. He previously served as chief financial officer from 2004 until 2012 and in various other capacities since joining the company in 2000.

Kevin Knight will remain chairman of the board and a full-time executive officer, primarily focusing on the areas of strategic growth, capital allocation, and leadership development, according to the company. He has served as chairman of the board since 1999 and CEO since 1993.

'Dave Jackson is the right person at the right time for the first CEO transition in our company's history,” said Kevin Knight. “This move has been long planned and marks the culmination of a multi-year development program managed by our board of directors and intended to secure Knight's leadership for years to come.”

The Arizona-based Knight Transportation provides multiple truckload transportation and logistics services for customers throughout North America and is one of the largest carriers in the U.S.

The announcement is the second top management change at a major trucking company this week. On Wednesday FedEx Freight announced President and CEO William Logue will retire at the end of the year due to health reasons.