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Small trucking fleets file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in April

Photo credit: Fairfield Trucking

Two small trucking companies in Arkansas and Texas filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in April.

Family-owned Fairfield Trucking Inc. of Hamburg, Arkansas, headed by James Andrew Barnes, submitted a bankruptcy petition in mid-April.

The company lists assets ranging from $0 to $50,000 and liabilities as being between $500,000 and $1 million, according to its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The carrier, which hauled building materials, general freight and paper products, lists up to 199 creditors.

Fairfield Trucking was started by Jerry R. Barnes in 1981 and grew from one owner-operator to over 30 and had over 200 drivers at one time.


However, at the time of its closure, the carrier had 30 trucks and the same number of drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) SAFER website. The company’s operating authority was revoked on January 27 after its insurance was canceled nine days earlier. 

Another small carrier, Ease N On Trucking LLC of Pleasanton, Texas, also filed for Chapter 7 protection in mid-April. 

The company lists assets and liabilities as being between $500,000 to $1 million in its petition filed by owner Richard K. Esser in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.

The carrier, which hauled oilfield equipment, general freight and dry bulk commodities, lists up to 99 creditors.


According to FMCSA, Ease N On had 28 power units and 31 drivers. The company’s operating authority was revoked on November 14, 2019, after its insurance was canceled six days earlier.

Read more articles by FreightWaves’ Clarissa Hawes


5 Comments

  1. Acacia357

    It has nothing to do with the brokers it has lot to do with a trade war that has been waged by the current administration for past 3 years ” ignorant is not a badword”… When you close borders when you start wars with different countries you will not have freight use common sense and get over building the wall slowly by slowly you will be bankrupted just like Taj Mahal… Trucking industry is filled with ignorant and racist truck drivers and that is exactly what they deserve…

  2. Bill

    What do you expect???? brokers are taking 50-60% of revenue offer nothing but phones and desk and promises. I have seen broker
    loads on DAT and ITS for 3-5 days why does a shipper put up with that they call a carrier and want it to be picked up ASAP where is the rolling assets and drivers none. If the brokers keep raping the carriers they will be in the Asset rolling stock business. I have seen rates from $0.46 cents per mile and a great deal around $1.00 per mile. Try this $142,000 truck a $30,000 van Insurance. taxes, Fuel. Tires. Maintance. Payroll , office, shop, administration. State and local taxes Can this be done for a $1.00 a mile? I do not think so
    .

  3. Stephen Webster

    Over 20 small trucking companies in Ontario Canada under 10 company trucks plus owners ops are in trouble right now in southern Ontario Many of these people will loose their home , farm and or repair shop and yard. The Ontario government has done everything it could in the last 2 years to bring in new truck drivers to lower the larger trucking companies those with over 200 trucks including owners ops. Both by helping to pay for training new drivers and assistance in overseas people coming to Canada. The result will be more accidents as new truck drivers who can not read English are not as safe. Truck drivers pay half of 1980 wages compared to police, nurses, firefighters.

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Clarissa Hawes

Clarissa has covered all aspects of the trucking industry for 16 years. She is an award-winning journalist known for her investigative and business reporting. Before joining FreightWaves, she wrote for Land Line Magazine and Trucks.com. If you have a news tip or story idea, send her an email to [email protected].