CFL closing

In the aftermath of Central Freight Lines’ abrupt closure five weeks ago, many of the company’s 2,100 employees, including 1,325 truck drivers, are struggling with paycheck concerns and questions about when or if they will receive vacation pay and unemployment benefits, while others claim they were subjected to unsafe working conditions at the company’s headquarters in Waco, Texas.

After finding out that Central Freight Lines was shuttering operations, hourly employees, including 1,325 truck drivers, learned that their final paychecks weren’t mailed out as promised before Christmas.

A former Central Freight Lines employee claims the Waco,Texas-based less-than-truckload carrier violated federal law by failing to give 60 days’ notice of its planned shutdown to nearly 2,100 employees and truck drivers, who found themselves without jobs two weeks before Christmas

Analysts, industry insiders and some of Central Freight Lines’ executives and drivers liken the LTL carrier’s demise to a “five-year death spiral” after the company lost a major customer, then acquired two failing companies.

Central Freight Lines says rival LTL carrier Estes Express, based out of Richmond, Virginia, is interested in scooping up some of the Waco, Texas-based 2,100 drivers and employees, after FreightWaves broke the news Saturday that the LTL carrier was ceasing operations.

In this issue, jobs for former CFL employees and what’s ahead on WTT.

A source familiar with the 96-year-old company said he is unsure whether CFL will file Chapter 7 or “liquidate outside of bankruptcy,” but that the LTL carrier has no plans to reorganize.

A sampling of reactions and analysis on the various FreightWaves channels, as well as the rest of the freight world.

On WTT we’re talking about Central Freight Lines shutdown; fast food logistics; automating the back office and more