Freight Distress Report: more carriers shut down, logistics firms cut jobs

Also filing for Chapter 7 protection was GLS Materials and Trucking LLC of Van Alstyne, Texas. The company sought liquidation protection in the Eastern District of Texas after reporting estimated liabilities between $1 million and $10 million. Company records indicate its trucking and materials hauling operations had ceased prior to the filing.

In California, Ruezga Hauling Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 5 in the Northern District of California. The Milpitas-based carrier previously operated 10 tractors and employed 10 drivers before its DOT operating authority became inactive earlier this year.

Truck and trailer businesses were also affected

Circle D Truck Sales Inc., a truck sales and repair company operating in the Abilene, Texas, area, filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 8 in the Northern District of Texas. The company, which also operated under the name FTSR, is seeking to reorganize its operations while continuing business activities.

In Illinois, ZDM Transport filed for Chapter 7 protection on Thursday in the Northern District of Illinois. The Rolling Meadows-based carrier joins a growing list of small and midsize trucking companies seeking liquidation amid ongoing freight market weakness.

Layoffs continue across logistics sector

Beyond bankruptcy filings, several logistics and transportation companies announced layoffs or facility closures impacting hundreds of workers.

Dallas-area logistics provider Alan Ritchey Inc. said it will close an Irving transfer center and lay off 232 employees beginning in September, according to a WARN notice filed with state officials. Affected workers include forklift operators, shippers, packers, supervisors and managers.

Seattle-based Expeditors International eliminated approximately 230 technology-related positions across multiple Washington locations as part of a restructuring within its U.S. Global Technology Department. The cuts affected software developers, project managers, business analysts and other technology staff.

American Expediting Logistics LLC abruptly ceased operations last week and laid off 86 employees at its headquarters in Media, Pennsylvania. Company officials cited an inability to secure financing and broader financial pressures across the transportation sector.

Other recent workforce reductions included:

• DHL Supply Chain, which is closing a warehouse in Rural Hall, North Carolina, resulting in 81 layoffs.
• WILX Logistics LLC, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner in Pennsylvania, where roughly 70 jobs are being affected by an operational relocation.
• AGI Ground Inc., which closed operations at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, affecting 54 employees.
• GXO Logistics, which plans to close a San Bernardino, California, facility and lay off 31 workers.
• FedEx, which disclosed plans to eliminate 25 positions in Salisbury, Maryland, as part of a broader network restructuring effort.

Freight distress remains elevated

The latest filings suggest financial stress remains widespread across transportation-related sectors despite signs of stabilization in portions of the freight market.

While many of the bankruptcies involve small and midsize carriers, the layoffs announced by larger logistics providers demonstrate that cost-cutting efforts continue throughout the supply chain. Cross-border trucking, truck sales and repair operations, warehousing and logistics technology departments all appeared in the latest round of distress activity.

Freight Distress Report Tracker (June 5-15)