Illinois trucking company with 480 drivers abruptly ceases operations

[Omaha Steve]

Midwest Transport Inc. of Robinson, Illinois, ceased operations on Thursday. (Photo credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/illinois-trucking-company-with-480-drivers-abruptly-ceases-operations

Postal contractor Midwest Transport Inc. is winding down, sources say
By Clarissa Hawes
·
Friday, September 06, 2024

Updated late Friday with additional information about the closure.

An Illinois-based trucking and logistics company, which contracted with the U.S. Postal Service to haul mail has notified over 650 employees, including more than 480 drivers, that the carrier is ceasing operations, according to sources familiar with the closure.

Former truck drivers for Midwest Transport Inc. (MTI), headquartered in Robinson, Illinois, told FreightWaves that they received telephone calls from their regional managers late Thursday notifying them the company was winding down operations.

As of publication on Friday, MTI has not issued a formal statement about what led to the closure. However, FreightWaves confirmed with some former senior managers and truck drivers who worked for the mail contractor that the company was ending operations. They did not want to be named in the article for fear of retaliation.

According to an email sent to MTI employees and drivers about the closing late Friday, which was obtained by FreightWaves, the company stated that postal operations “will complete all trips through the trips that begin on Sunday, September 8. Freight operations should be following the instructions from your load planners on returning. Terminal and office personnel will receive information and updates from your managers as we progress through this transition.”

FULL story at link above.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Oh, this is going to wap that town big-time (Robinson, IL).

Didn't say if they were going to consolidate other opers or drivers into other locations, so I'll assume that all opers. are being shut down. I know that freight oper. have been one of the hardest hit businesses in the US, so I hope that things work out for all.

[MyMission]

2. They contracted with USPS

Which makes me wonder about disruption of mail in ballots during the next 2 months.
Who owns the company, who owns the company's debts? And it sucks for the employees.

[SupportSanity]

3. And the holidays coming up. Surprise business shutdowns like this bear inspection.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

4. I have a good friend who works in trucking

Certain aspects of intercity mail transport have been subcontracted. However, the way the USPS is doing their business (and the general decline in mail volume) is leading to these contacts being wound down. There will be more shut downs along this line.