Pittsburgh-based R&R Family of Companies abruptly shut down its trucking subsidiary Taylor Express earlier this week, laying off all employees and leaving some drivers stranded far from home with no company support, according to multiple interviews conducted by FreightWaves.
A former employee at Taylor Express said all the workers at the Hope Mills, North Carolina, facility were informed on Monday that the company was shutting down immediately and that layoffs were effective the same day. The source asked to remain anonymous.
“They told us Monday that Taylor Express was done, effective immediately,” the former employee said. “All office staff, shop staff, dispatchers — everyone — stopped getting paid that day.”
Drivers stranded after sudden shutdown
According to the former Taylor Express employee the sudden shutdown left some drivers with no clear way to return home after company support systems were cut off.
Before shutting down, Taylor Express operated a mid-sized trucking fleet, according to federal records. As of its most recent FMCSA filing, the carrier reported 114 power units and 106 drivers.
Fuel cards, rental car accounts and vendor relationships were shut down as the company ceased operations, the source said, leaving drivers stranded on the road. At least one driver based in Kansas City has been sleeping in his truck near the Hope Mills terminal while trying to figure out how to get home.
“There was no management there to help them, no rental cars, no fuel cards — nothing,” the source said. “They just abandoned these guys.”
The former employee said some drivers relied on family members to send money so they could drive home, while others were still attempting to make their way back to North Carolina when services were shut off.
Related: UPDATE: R&R Family of Cos. faces uncertainty amid exec departure, payment concerns
Long-running financial distress
Several sources interviewed by FreightWaves who also requested anonymity said that R&R sold off real estate and other assets over the past two years in an attempt to raise cash, including property tied to Taylor Express operations in Hope Mills and Union City, Tennessee.
R&R also fell behind on carrier payments, prompting carriers to reject loads and credit providers to restrict terms, sources said.
No response from company
FreightWaves attempted to reach R&R Family of Companies and Taylor Express executives multiple times by phone and email but did not receive a response.
No bankruptcy filing for R&R Family of Companies or Taylor Express has been confirmed as of publication.
This is a developing story, and FreightWaves will continue to report as more information becomes available.
