One of the largest truckload companies in the country is closing its doors after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Celadon Group Inc. is shutting down, leaving thousands of workers unemployed, with drivers stranded all across the country.
According to a statement put out by Celadon’s CEO, Paul Svindland, the company plans to liquidate all of Celadon’s assets except for one subsidiary, Taylor Express. Celadon claims that Taylor Express will be sold. Over the next few days and weeks, Celadon will be selling off everything to pay back their creditors.
One of the groups waiting for a payment from Celadon is the U.S. Department of Justice. The carrier still owes the DOJ approximately $33 million of a $43 million settlement which was the result of a federal investigation into alleged fraud at the company.
As a result of that investigation, the former president and the former CFO of Celadon were charged with multiple felonies on December 5th. The carrier closed its doors on December 9th, just four days later.
According to Svinland, the $42.2 million was one of the “headwinds” that made the continued operation of the carrier “impossible to achieve.”
“When combined with the enormous challenges in the industry, and our significant debt obligations, Celadon was unable to address our significant liquidity constraints through asset sales or other restructuring strategies,” said Svinland. “Therefore, in conjunction with our lenders, we concluded that Celadon had no choice but to cease all operations and proceed with the orderly and safe wind down of our operations through the Chapter 11 process.”
While a federal judge has authorized Celadon to spend $5.4 million to pay employees and contractors wages that it owes them, it’s not clear whether Celadon actually intends to do so. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing will allow the company to continue selling assets and disbursing payments only with the approval of their creditors. What usually happens is that creditors want to be paid what they are owed before they allow workers to get whatever is left of their paychecks.
Though rumors of the company’s demise were swirling starting a few days before the announcement, drivers were not given prior notice. In fact, according to Freightwaves, recruiters were hiring new drivers right up until the very end. No one even called the new recruits to tell them of the closure. They only learned about it when the called the company to ask why their bus or plane tickets weren’t being accepted.
In total, about 4,000 employees including as many as 3,000 drivers were laid off without notice. This is an apparent violation of the WARN act which requires companies with over 100 employees to give their workers at least 60 days’ notice before closing down.
Source: truckinginfo, fleetowner, overdrive, overdrive, overdrive, ttnews, ttnews, ttnews, ttnews, ttnews, freightwaves, freightwaves, freightwaves, businessinsider, truckersreport, overdrive
Well, Well ,Well!!I don’t know much about Celedon, except rumors. Its amazing how the company sleezy upper management do this to their drivers around Christmas…I talked to one driver in Memphis , we were both delivering at the same place, and he was given a written service failure because he was 2 hours early. NICE.
Well this should be a wake up call to all board of directors if the CEO or coo come to u with a plan to make lots of money quick fire them right then cause u will lose in the long run
This Taylor Express, is this Taylor Made Express in Wisconsin.
There’s a Taylor based in Fayetteville NC. I’ve passed their yard twice this week. 1st time…a couple of Celadon trailers. 2nd time… 20+ trailers and just as many trucks sitting on the yard. 🤦♂️
I don’t think so Derrick. I read this particular Taylor Express is located in North Carolina.
Taylor Express out of North Carolina…Fayetteville area.
No, it’s Taylor Express in Mill, N.C. Right off of I-95 not far from Fayetteville, N. C.
Hope Mills, NC
I live near there those drivers are not working either. There are Taylor trucks and abt 50 celadon tractors and trailers parked on the yard. No driver cars are parked in driver parking its empty ghost town
No its crappy scab company in hope mills nc
Always love how when the government finds wrongdoings, it’s ok for them to apply MAJOR fines just so they have more money to spend while hurting everyone else. They should take the fines and divide it equally between all the workers of Celedon, excluding the CEO and board.
Interesting.. Their stock is up 19.25% to .0285 as of 2:48PM EST..
Guess this kind of behavior is the new norm. Its amazing how much of a 2nd class citizen the drivers (and recruits) are to these companies.
Wow! Right before Christmas, back pay owed, no notice. I am so sorry for the employees. While it seems horrible right now, they are actually fortunate…low unemployment, and a driver with a clean record can always get a job the next day. But the bright side doesn’t look bright while you’re going through the crap. Sorry and sympathy to all Celadon employees.
I agree and the best to all drivers.
My best to the drivers of this company, seems like this is getting to be a regular thing for large companies to do lately, one Christmas after another. Instead of Christmas bonuses and spreading of Christmas Cheer, they choose to hang their drivers out to dry and spread grief over the Holiday Season.
Unbelievable. These shady ass upper management need to be shot. You make millions off of hard working truckers. Then as soon as you are caught doing dirt, you screw the ones who was making you money. This is why I have never trusted management at any common I have been at and never will and I keep money saved just in case the company I work for do me like this. I pray those 3,000 drivers find better jobs and I hope those crooked executives end up in the poor house!
So the govt wanting money that’s not rightfully theirs cost all these jobs.. love how these companies rip people off and fines them and the money goes to the govt
Except that management was doing illegal activities and has to pay. This is the only deterrent. Maybe you should put the blame where it belongs.
Wow! Great point. The DOJ will get that belonging to shareholders who were cheated by Celadon’s fraud, but they don’t get any.
Govt always gets money, u get bent over and shown the shaft
Let’s go back to the original reason why the DOJ ordered said company to pay them, it’s because they cooked a bunch of books and got caught and are now heading to prison
Nope don’t blame the government, they had it coming to them from when they started eagle logistic, it just took longer than it should have, it is sad how they went about it, and there plan is to make it look like the government cost it, think about this why make a plea deal if you cannot afford to pay it, that’s is all in there plans no one agrees to pay x amount and don’t have the first red cent to do it,
Wrong, 43 million is going to pay back investors who were screwed out of money by the 2 mentioned thru fraud…read everything. This has been going on for most of the year and it is no surprise if you have been paying attention and following. Celadon was broke no liquid Capitol and no equity but they cooked the books.
Ya, I always say that the biggest, tallest, most open air entrance to hell has four words above it: “ALL POLITICIANS ENTER HERE”
govt wanting money that’s not rightfully theirs cost all these jobs…
what a ridiculous thing to say.
Celadon & Quality have been under investigation since May 2017. False reporting earnings (2014-2016) to the tune of 250 million dollars. They were given a year to fix and 1 day before the deadline they said they needed more time. SEC delisted the company and stock value dropped to almost nothing. THAT is why they failed.
Celadon & Quality agreed to this settlement to stop any further investigations into their accounting practices.
$42 mil is Restitution and administrative charges. Any monies paid back to shareholders becomes a reduction in the $42 million.
Celadon only expects to have about $3.5 mil to put towards the $42 mil.
I was kinda wondering why if the former president and former CFO were being charged, the fines were coming out of the company coffers.
Sure, it’s probably a corporate thing that shields the individuals from liability, but if the individuals are being charged with felonies, why don’t the *individuals* owe the DOJ the $43 million fines, instead of [censored] over the company and all the workers?
The nepotism in the company was rampant..allegedly they used it as a piggy bank…Narcissism etc..feel terrible for the drivers and the regular staff…the owners should have all of their assets frozen sold off and distributed to the folks!
Good observation! Is there some kind of inside info we don’t know about, like somebody rigged all that shit so the lowdown (fines, Celedon bankruptcy) would make someone richer (drivers, NOT)?
Jd, apparently you missed the previous chapters of this ongoing story, this is only the final chapter in many that has to do with Celadon’s great demise. The CEO.s are the ones that embezzled and misappropriated monies from Celadon which led to this final chapter, not the Government. Yes the Government will get theirs first no doubt, in some way shape or form when it should be the Drivers and Employees of Celadon that should get their backpay first before anyone else is allowed to be able to be payed.
We all read pretty well here. I think what JD is trying to say is; if not for the instant gratification. When it comes to terms and conditions of the $43 million dollar payment in fines, the feds require, celadon would still be here. Celadon survived the 2017 indictments of their 2 ex Swift CEOs.It was the terms and conditions laid down by the feds for a $43 million dollar, instantaneous fine that was the final knockout punch.” Never invite Swift into your house and i.e. payment plan “. And guys,I got my last check.Celadon was a good company be well …
The government it has always taxed the hell out of its work force.
Keeps its workers poor
So they will work even harder for lesser wages
And extremely expensive health insurance.
To boot.
Sad scenario we hard working Americans have settled into! SMH
Not sticking up for the gov, but the story I read last week after the scumbag upper management was charged was that they was fined to pay back investors that were bilked out of millions by these guys scam and lies. But I hope the drivers and staff get what they have earned first. Hope those CEOs get hard time!!
So how’s that driver shortage working for you?
Taylor express farmer owners was smart when they sold their company to celadon, because they are the same people running it, if I remember right, know they will buy it back at a good deal nice to see at less dose guys will keep there jobs,
I have no respect for any trucking company. The poor drivers are always the ones that end up getting stabbed in the back. Companys making millions and billions of dollars, and drivers work for low wages, shit health insurance that the driver pays alot for, no retirement. Trucking company owners can all die and rot in hell.
This industry is gone down Hill !! I’m so lucky that I retired from it with a pension which stock options and my union benefits unbelievable huh I’m taking it to the bank my advice to why you either don’t get in this industry unless you have a lot of Vaseline because you’re going to need it everybody is out to screw you nowadays the company you work for the people you deliver toEtc.
A little Vaseline with beach sand so you know it hurts!
Unions are one reason all these companies are going under. Majority of the casualties were auto industry reliant. Well we all know what happens when a union gets a bit crabby. They cry Jack prices up shut down shops causes jobs to leave the country. So you enjoy your over inflated pension because your part of the problem.
The son of the founder drove that company into the ground because of greed. What a sleeze bag that guy was.
I drove for this company for a year before they let me go for getting stuck in a ditch on a shippers property that I paid a tow truck out of my pocket to hook chains up to the back end of the trailer and sliding it out, no damage to no property. I hate it for the drivers but this company ran me from Rocky Mount to San Antonio three straight times before calling me in and giving me the news, I had to find my own way home. And they put something on my paperwork maki g it hard for me to get another job, but guess what Celadon I’m doing much better than with yall. Karma is a bitch
Calling all truckers! Calling all truckers! We need to help those, our trucking brothers and sisters, who have been left stranded with rides home. If you meet some of these unfortunate people, give them a ride if your heading their way! No one deserves the treatment these men and women are receiving from Celedon.
Thank you for being the only one I have seen say anything like this. I’m calling myself out also. Great comment!
Trucks might be cheap to buy
I bet and all have been maintenanced
Amen brother. I would hate to be shafted out of nowhere and 1000’s of miles from home. Good company bad company, drivers deserve better.
Drivers say goodbye to your 401s you had with the company.
Celedon has no control over your 401k beyond making the withholding. 401k account is kept at the financial institution or bank that manages it. The account is fully owned by the employee. This ignorance is why drivers have no savings to fall back on, and no retirement to look forward to.
You are absolutely correct. If they would put money aside and invest into Savings and retirement the job loss wouldn’t have a major effect.
Hahaha ha he thinks there’s money left from the paycheck for savings and investment! HahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahHahHahahahHahahahahHHhH
now that’s true they stole mine when they took over contanetel exp took 6 years to get back 65 cent on the dollor
So true
The cost of a ticket home or a few nights accommodation would likely put enough fuel in your rig to drive it home — plus give you a place to sleep while en route.
I heard a good comment below about fulfilling your obligation to deliver any load so you are not accused of grand theft in stealing it.
Then put the rig in storage and put a lien on it for outstanding pay/expenses. Including cost of fuel home, storage, and perhaps even eventually delivering it back to Celadon’s Trustees.
And if they don’t play ball, you could end up with a complete rig free and clear as one of the company’s legal debtors!
Celadon blew it when they
Sold their souls to lease purchase. Down hill ever since .And they knew along time ago the end game. Put the bastards in jail ? Never happen. There is no justice we as drivers know this . I worked for Celadon 5 months and they reported to the IRS over 124,000 dollars of earnings paid to me . I’m still clearing up this mess they made .
I got ripped off 6000 grand frm an employer southwest carriers of glendale arizona n hes still in bizzness i even used 500$ out of pocket for fuel n never got paid thts worse than the others
Nobody in their right mind would want to drive a truck today after seeing all this all over the news they’re better off working inside a building with a real job and better home time I only got four years and eight months left and I’m done good luck guys hasta la vista baby
Company owners and administration should be required to sell off everything they own first, before the working man has to take it in the shorts. Guaranteed that none of them will lose their vehicles or houses, and they will all receive their checks and pensions first. Absolute b.s. The owner needs prison time. It’s theft from thousands of people. Stealing people’s time is stealing money. No different than an employee padding their time card. Time is money
Bussiness as Usual ALWAYS THE TRUCKERS GET IT IN THE BUTT 1 MORE TIME. What a Damm Shame, Peace.
A lot of truckers choose to take it in the Butt the very second they “choose” to work for these penny pinching scumbag mega carriers.
What is killing the freight rates and driver pay? Mega carriers in all instances.
People who bid down the freight industry into the toilet complaining about industry challenges…
We are seeing 4,000 victims of a federal crime. Unfortunately it’s a government committed crime. Put the owners in jail fine, screw hard working men and women that’s criminal! Employees have no recourse. So very sad. Help everyone who needs a ride home with empty pockets.. Drive them and feed them at no cost. They need compassion, let’s give it.
Shame on that company Just like the rest of them
We should being seeing Celedon trucks parked in various places across the country as drivers walk away from their rigs…yes?
They’ve turned off the fuel cards, what you are predicting will be happening, rather the drivers want to or not
Yep, taking up needed space in the truckstops. Think of the cost it’s going to take to recover all of the abandoned trucks and trailers.
That’s what chop shops are for…
Add the expense of repowering the freight with another company.
Let the truck stop know and they should have them towed.
Hard pressed to find someone to tow them. They’ll never get paid.
Same story, different day. Greedy bastards have no conscience. Back in 2011 Jamal Lewis and All American (ha!) Xpress managed to spend their way into bankruptcy running the sweetest gig in trucking – based in Lakeland they load locally with CokaCola product bount 3200 miles to Safeways in Spokane and Tacoma. Then loaded produce to bring right back 3000 miles to Lakeland’s Publix DC. A company of 180 dwindled to 50, he lied to us about restructuring as our fuel cards shut off and he fell weeks behind in payroll. Trucks were repo’d right out from under drivers. And 2 months later? $5000 owed to me? A bank loaned him millions more to buy a run down casino in PA. The rich get richer.
If you have fuel in your truck drop the f trailer you get better fuel mileage an drive it home or Towards home tell run out fuel and then leave it on the side of the road just like they were strand you out in middle of not where you live
No mention of the WARN act….
?? WARN act IS mentioned… last paragraph.
In total, about 4,000 employees including as many as 3,000 drivers were laid off without notice. This is an apparent violation of the WARN act which requires companies with over 100 employees to give their workers at least 60 days’ notice before closing down.
You should really read the law before speaking,
Better give them a hefty fine.
They don’t care about the Warn act. That only a statement of appeasement to make the ignorant think truckers are protected. The only recourse is a lawsuit on a company that is already claiming that they are too broke to pay their creditors. That puts employees bent over at the bottom of the barrel, as usual.
Its sad to see all of us struggling but stay postitive guys and gals
Logan,
I don’t know you but I knew your mother. One of the classiest ladies God ever made.
Mitch Summerlin
What there drivers don’t understand is once you file bankruptcy, no check paid out is any good anymore. So sell the load!!
Worst advice I’ve ever heard
Yea right, you can then check felony along with that unemployment box, dumb! Do the right thing deliver the load, it’s not the fault of the company that was paying your bills (ie. the owners of the load) it’s the fault of the foolish trucking company owners.
My sympathies go out to all you drivers caught up in this debacle during the Christmas season. May God bless you!
Under the Bankruptcy rules a referee can recall all checks issued within 90 days before declaration of Bankruptcy, and if a fraudulent transfer of money-like to a friend or family member–up to one year ago.And there are no waivers for things like Paychecks.
Sell the truck in parts as well
That’s what I said. I would sell the remaining fuel from the tanks, the wheels, tires, the 5th wheel, seats, the load, or anything else that anyone wanted until I got the money owed to me plus money for my troubles, and a rental car to get home
Great advice! NOT!!!!! That would be felony grand theft. The product doesn’t belong to celedon.
Yah, that’s the same as violating the Geneva convention rules. What are they going to do? Fine them more? Shut them down? WARN is only going to acknowledged by the companies that need to lay-off and wish to remain in business.
It’s not there’s or celodons to sell, so you make a driver with out a job anymore a felon
Sell the load? The load does not belong to Celadon. Celadon is only contracted to have a truck pick up and deliver the loads. Selling some one’s merchandise will put the driver who sold it in extreme straits. I can’t believe the out come would consist of anything short of a prison term.
I went to school at Celadon and graduated in 2015, I was crapped on all the time by this company, I can tell so many horrible stories about this company, I knew the day would come that they would close the doors. It is no surprise to me.
…WARN act… Right. What’s one more labor law violation? It’s not like the government can levy more fines against a bankrupt company, and seriously expect them to ever be paid…
A law with no practical enforcement or penalty for failure is no law at all. There is no WARN act, because there is nothing to be done to a company that fails to follow it’s requirements. It’s like having a law against dying in your truck – you wanna write a citation to the corpse?
I guess they should arrest the CEO and President for violating labor laws? Your comments come straight out a comic book.
Right. Lawyers have a saying: a right without a remedy is hollow.
Right, @MrYowler!
Chapter 11 allows a company to continue in operation after submitting a reorganization plan to the bankruptcy judge. The judge then prioritizes the creditors for payment. The company has to have the ability to continue to meet its ongoing obligations while simultaneously paying off the back debt as decided by the judge. Sounds like our intrepid reporter didn’t bother to see if, in fact, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy was filed. That is when everyone gets screwed, which is what is being described here. Everyone, except the ‘principles’ (owners), who can go the bank with a new business plan, new company name and get new loans because their (company) debt is discharged. The games is rigged gentlemen…but as drivers, you already knew that.
“Management said if we formed a union we’d lose our jobs”
Maybe Uncle Sam should have all trucking companies open an escrow account to pay their employees in cases like this…Steve Russell is probably rolling over in his grave
They need to raise the freight rates, there is no reason for this thing to happen in the age of computers. It’s 60k for a good pickup truck, thousands for health insurance and 60 bucks for a good steak dinner. Why the heck are the margins so thin for trucking? Get with the times!!!
I leased with Celadon a couple of years ago. Have to admit I have had a big smile on my face all week. Sorry for the drivers that were screwed but couldn’t have happened to a better company. There is a God.
Exactly. Owned by the mafia
Yes, God will work things out for everyone stranded. Don’t worry about anything. Bad management is everywhere, but God will never let you down! And FYI: To unhook the automatic tractors from the loads to take the loads, you have to depress the brake then put it in drive. It’s a safety feature to prevent the tractor from rolling backwards. Us FedEx Ground drivers are here to help!
Another big employment crisis. Government would get paid. To hell to employees, drivers….big boss is making china announcements and minting money by selling stocks bought at low cost.
Americans screwed again by Americans.
Been in the game along time on and off and I have never seen a company that cares about any driver it’s the bottom line and that’s it.they will promise you the moon and stars until they have you in the truck driving for them and then they will bend you over ever chance they get
Just take the truck you’re driving and sell it with the trailer and load.
What a shame so close to the Holidays…
Nothing worse than a sleazy ball upper management…and leave the drivers hanging…just go out and sell the load and keep the money….
Just goes to show that your reporting again is BS Fake news. There have been hundreds of companies offering jobs, free bus tickets. The only ones stranded are the lazy ones that have no home and don’t want to work.
I am sure pilot Thomas is pretty close to being another Celedon.
They should be investigated also.
Especially in Odessa Texas .
Find a good place to park that tractor and the load. Sell what you can of the load, then strip all the parts that you can get away with off that tractor to the frame! That should cover your pay!!
Did they own FTL out of Portland Oregon Area ?
I only got one very important question, will circle back to everything else. Is there some kind of plan in place to get these guy/ gals home from Bangor or San Diego or any of the other million places they were at when this company went under?
Merry Christmas! ( Keep it)
Yeah As Michelle true but payroll and other non cdl holders might it challenging.
So sad. Hard working people loose their jobs over a few jackazzez bad management. So glad I left the trucking industry a few years ago. Drivers are treated like crap, paid like high wage slaves (a few pennies from no pay) and are expected to just deal with it.
Everywhere truckers go somebody is trying to screw them over; the company, the customer (I remember having to get a pay advance to have Wal-Mart distribution centers unload their own trucks. Note: it was reimbursed by the company but there where still transfer fees that you had to file in a separate claim to get your money back), truck stops high prices for the limited amount of healthy food for drivers and other things and the government itself duh.
Roll on all you kings and queens of industry that make the world’s economy move. You guys run this world.
All those cheap truck hiting the used market will keep freight costs low for the foreseeable future.
I worked there a couple years ago as well, and the part about recruiting until the last minute is totally true, I got an email from recruiting the morning of the shut down!
I went to their orientation in late October. I had a bad feeling the second day. On the final day, I told them that something didn’t feel right but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
They tried for another week to get me to reconsider after I left and went home.
Guess my gut feeling was right (as usual).
I guess the mafia doesn’t have the pull it used to. Everyone knows Celadon was Mob owned….
So anyone know who the actual owner’s of this company is?
If my Paycheck bounced, I’d be sitting in a truck stop on the CB selling any part on the truck that anyone wanted to buy. Tires on the rim, batteries, alternator, APU, freight out the back, whatever it took to get my money PLUS whatever it cost to get home.
Most driver from that company are newbies and most people will do the right thing. But you’re right. If my check bounced I’d seriously be tempted to see off some stuff to recoup my loses.
take the truck home and abandon the freight. File a lien against the truck and disable it on your property.
I hear that!
I’m sure someone out there needs a good set of wheels& tires,you get that money they owe you drivers.dont walk away from those
Scumbags empty handed.They knew months ago they couldn’t pay
Damn right!!!!!!
Mitch McConnell wife under investigation for her corruption and who is running Federal Transportation will not care that WARN Act was not executed or that drivers are now stranded at Christmas with no pay. Shameful POS
What corruption is that??? Don’t go throwing out BS land mines like that, if you have proof that she has done something illegal then put it out there. Tired of having people’s thoughts and opinions skewed with baseless and erroneous accusations. So if you know something , inform us, and stop playing us for a bunch of mindless fools…
A union couldn’t save this company. Just another bad example of greed and we are not all Americans. True American companies have more respect for the ones they employ.
The unions are why most union companies have went belly up, freight prices can’t cover the overhead demanded by unions
All those stranded drivers have to do is go get on with another truck driving Company in the state that they are stranded in.
This reminds me of Arrow trucking here in Oklahoma when they did the same to their drivers.
I think they could put a lean on the truck until they get paid. No pay? I keep truck as payment. 😁
I always keep a stash of cash in the bank in case of this bs that’s going on in the industry. Be proactive guys and stay ahead of the politics. Get yourself debt free and get rid of your toys that keep you a slave to the banks.
Find peace through God and he will lead you to a life of worship and balance.
Well said my friend.
AMEN TO THAT BROTHER!!
This is very similar to what I offered. Keeping stables of toys and living off of credit will kill you whether you’re clearing $70,000/yr or $700,000/yr. Live so you don’t have to work to pay the bank any longer than absolutely necessary, and sock the rest into savings.
Then if your company goes bust and leaves you stranded putting a few hundred bucks of fuel into it to get you safely home won’t be a huge deal.
And then very good advice about putting a lien on the truck and trailer for what is legally owed to you. Who knows? You might end up with your own rig and trailer free and clear.
Celadon drivers, if I should happen to meet up w/you, once my employer allows,I will tote you as close to home as I can or I will buy you a cab to/or greyhound bus ticket home.. Pease keep your faith and don’t lose hope..
Done
Just read the WARN act.
Celadon is not covered under the worn act because of circumstances unforeseen that could not give 60-day notice.
If the DOJ wanted to ‘do right’ by the employees, they would issue a $10,000 check to each of them, and that would still leave a multimillion amount for the DOJ, and take care of the employees.
But that would make sense, and be efficient…so forget the government doing that.
Celadon what a freakin joke. Bought the company i was working for out. then tells me I don’t qualify to work for them with over 30 yrs of driving with no accidents, but a driver with 2 accidents and less than 5yrs gets hired on. Was told by celadon to take truck to indy. to there terminal. said forget you i don’t work for you, you wont hire me so come get it at the companies terminal you bought out to where my personal vehicle was. SEE YA i’m outta here.
PEACE with GOD through JESUS CHRIST!!! Celeron can’t help you ,look forward there is Hope.
Perhaps this god through jesus christ should’ve intervened to prevent this so no need for “hope” to put food on the table and keep the family warm during winter.
NOW YOU UNDERSTAND GUNSMOKE the god that fools talking about is NEVER around for the poor just in case you didn’t notice
One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD. You will be included in that day.
Ideas like that for sure u won’t see the light I feel sorry for cause faith is a good thing and God is great
What a dim respect of our Lord who took three fish and a loaf of bread and fed 5,000. I don’t know about your god…but my God can do anything.
Prayer is the key to heaven but faith unlocks the door. We first must receive Jesus in our hearts. Then pray for God to intervene. Have faith and wait. The Bible says If God is for us who can be against us Romans 8:27. With God it is all about faith in prayers to Him and Trusting Him to take care of your situation. I was once homeless. I know God answers prayers.
In the end there will be only 4 or 5 carriers… Walmart, Amazon,Fed ex,and UPS or and USPS..the only companies that can afford to lose millions and not break a sweat… LMAO
Celedon has no control over your 401k beyond making the withholding. 401k account is kept at the financial institution or bank that manages it. The account is fully owned by the employee. This ignorance is why drivers have no savings to fall back on, and no retirement to look forward to.
What will this industry look like in 2-3 years…
Supply and demand rule doesn’t seem to work, or does it? There’s suppose to be a drivers shortage somewhere in this country. Now there’s 3000 drivers looking for a job. Drivers, please start telling everybody you know the truth about “shortage thing” and freight to drivers ratio is going to equalize and we’re all going to make decent money again.
unfortunately if anything happens to load or to the truck, the driver is held responsible, which means driver is charged with theft and/or vandalism.
as much as l would love to, I can’t take that chance.
They should have kept operating and brought drivers in and let them go. Which would have been better than stranded drivers leaving trucks on the side of the road like in MD on 83n. Sad…. looking for a company and close to a Tyson company plant.
Best company I’ve ever worked for hands down. Tyson.Com/drive
Deliver your last load. Find a way to get your truck and trailer home. Put it in a storage lot. Someone is going to want that truck. You can then negotiate your last paycheck, any expenses incurred getting home, storage fee plus interest, and potentially get paid for delivering the truck and trailer to it’s next destination. Or you may be able to purchase the equipment, or end up with the equipment if you can put a lien up against it.
It’s a lot cheaper to put some fuel in the truck and head home than to get in trouble for selling a load and parting out a truck and trailer you don’t own.
Some of these comments are down right stupid.
What you’re suggesting in my own opinion is what I would do, but in reality you would be charged with theft, because you still don’t own the property, so you cannot hold it as a bargaining chip.
You are very correct.
It takes evety dollar to just survive for some. Very hard to save ahead. Paycheck to paycheck for many. Drivers are stranded, with all of their oersonal belongings, far from home, right at Christmas. Hard to just get out and ‘get a ride’. Prayers for these Drivers and their families. They didn’t deserve THIS! (Remember ARROW TRUCKING, a few years ago? Same crap!)
Not to be harsh, but trucking still pays a good wage and tends to come with good benefits. Not as good as it could or should. But if one is still living paycheck-to-paycheck then one is living beyond their means and it wouldn’t matter if they were netting $70,000/yr or $700,000/yr.
No arrow did chapter 7 just like falcon did this yr and left everyone high and dry Celadon did an 11 and borrowed 8.2 million to get us home yes it was a little harder to get back cause the fuel cards didn’t work like normal but I got home as promised
Everyone wants to know what the truth is of what happened to Celadon and why they crumbled then I’ll give it to you….. Back in 2015 Celadon got greedy and bought out Tango Transport after the owners son used his father’s company as his personal piggy bank buying vacations for his wife and his family until they ran out of money and sold to Celadon but this was just the beginning of Celadons problems…. When IP paper along with Quad Graphics and other paper plants around Louisiana found out about the buy out by Celadon. They turned and ran and cut all the contracts that Tango had with the plants and told Celadon to get lost, get rid of their Tango trailers, and never talk to them again, this was the start of the financial problems that Celadon was having. Once the crash in profits and the loss of 4 major paper plants in Louisiana happened which stated everything once Celadon bought out Tango, the profits started falling by the millions of dollars. The companies safety rating was horrible and no one wanted to have anything to do with them. Enter Paul Will the company CEO at the time, Paul Will was all for the buyout of Tango but as soon as Celadon took over the old Tango yard. That’s when the triouble started and Celadon was forced to sell the old terminal and get rid of it. Celadon had basically ran out of money once the buyout happened but things went a little deeper within Celadon , you see Paul Wills and Jonathan had words between them over Paul wanting to start a rival company within Celadon and that’s when Eagle formed Eagle was a Powerhouse company that didnt play. They had their own Celadon. To make things even worse, Eagle Drivers as an Owner Op company had their dispatch, their own payroll, their own trucks, their own trailers and their own freight and could do pretty much do whatever they wanted. Paul Will’s was hell bent on taking Celadon down and replacing it with Eagle Transport which was an Owner Op company within Celadon that grew enormously and threatened to Swallow Celadon cause everyone was leaving for Eagle and bailing out on Celadon.. When Eagle started growing the war was on between Eagle and Celadon until Jonathan paid off Paul and desolved Eagle to become a part of Celadon. To look good in front of the investors now that Eagle was no longer a threat to Celadon, Bobby got a bright idea and started trying to increase the look of the company profits which was a lie from the start. Enter Eric Meeks… Eric was all for the company making money for the company so did Danny Williams, Quality leasing ?? Remember those clowns ?? Quality was Celadons so called truck dealership that Celadon leased trucks through but the only problem was that the quality trucks were rejected trucks that other companies got rid of and sold. None of them were any good and was basically left over junk that no one wanted and weren’t any good by no means at all. Celadon wanted to attract. Owner Ops to the company and say that they had owner operators to attract more people to come to the company and yes this was Jonathan’s and Bobby’s idea and that’s how Quality leasing was born. On paper Jonathan Russell was Celadons owner after his dad died in 2016, Jonathan made it look like he was sole owner of Celadon and ran only Celadon which was a lie and Danny Williams was the so called owner of Quality Leasing which was a lie in a half as well. In reality Jonathan owned BOTH companies but he separated things on paper to cover himself, Bobby Peivler and Eric Meeks who was the CFO and President of Celadon were in on the whole thing to try and make Celadon more money but nothing worked out at all.. Hell, Quality and Celadon was in bed together if you caught what I ment by that statement. When investors and accounts started asking questions about the Lease sales which I also add that the trucks leased to Celadon were valued at 3 and 4 times the market value to keep Quality and Celadon looking good in front of investors but there was so many problems with the Lease trucks it wasn’t even funny. The engines were messed up, the Trucks Def systems were trashed and their so called mechanics were shade tree mechanics if you know what i mean by that. They only put a band aid over the issues with these rejected trucks to pass their so called fake inspections and there was never any REAL repairs made to these lease trucks. The only way that these trucks TRULY got repaired and fixed was by the Dealerships not Quality. This was anther way that Quality worked so they could sell these trashed trucks and make a profit in their eyes but it was only Fraud and another way of Celadon finding a way of lying the drivers and scamming them into a fraudulent scheme to cover what they were really doing and keeping the so called Owner Op scheme going to make the companies look good in front of everyone including investors, company customers and outside companies like Jones Motor Lines, Sunco in FL and Celadon along side of Sunteck. Once the fraud was discovered…. Sunco in Lakeland FL dumped Quality, took their trucks back and dumped the entire Lease through Quality and Celadon all together and yes the authorities were notified. Yes all of this was both Bobby and Eric Meeks idea and like a dumbass Jonathan went along with it cause all he saw was money. If you broke down or something went wrong with your truck according to Celadon after the first 30 days, the repairs got made but it CAME OUT OF YOUR PAY. Jonathan Russell didn’t give a fuck who he hurt or swindled or burned as long as himself, his family and his band of crooks were making money, He didn’t give a damn what it did to Celadon or his image. When the class action lawsuit came against Celadon for Fuel rebate discounts to the Lease drivers being found out was a lie. The drivers went after Celadon and demanded answers but non were given. Remember back when Pilot was stealing company reimbursements credits from Trucking companies and got busted by the IRS and the FBI in Knoxville TN ?? CELADON jumped on that bandwagon to try and make more money for the company so they could keep the company in business and they could keep ripping people off. The whole company under Jonathans, Eric Meeks and Bobby Peivlier was a scam job from the very start and that’s what got them busted by the government and the drivers. This got the attention of the IRS and that’s when shit really got hot. In 2016 when the fuel fraud case got started which was the idea of both Jonathan and Eric to keep the company running and that’s where the around 10 Million dollar terminals in to play in both Indianapolis and in Laredo which no one wanted anything to do with. The New Indy terminal started getting built but was scrapped after the company fell under investigation by the government and was abandoned and later sold under court orders When the finacial troubles came to light. Both Indy and Laredo were closed and sold. When the IRS marched into Celadon and demanded answers to the companies records which were doctored by Bobby Peivlier to try and keep the government off Celadons back but it didnt work. Exit Paul Wills, when the IRS did an audit on Celadons books cause their practices were raising issues with investors and company account and the government, Paul in the middle of a work day packed up and walked out on Celadon and left the company for good. How else do you think that Jonathan became CEO until enter Paull Schvienland who became the new. CEO of Celadon. When the fraud case went down and the company was kicked off the NYSE and told to never come back, all of the fraud was found out through Quality and the junk trucks that Celadon was running was discovered by the investors and accountants. They started asking questions because what Celadon was saying and what the truth was were 2 different things all together. Nothing was adding up and that’s when the investors stared raising questions about Celadons activities and their finacial records weren’t addng up either, that’s when the DOJ got involved and the $42 million dollars was owed to the government and somehow the company came up with the money. Once that was paid Celadon thought that they were free and clear but that wasn’t true by no means. When the investors and the government started looking into Quality leasing and Danny Williams got indicted, Jonathan’s didnt want anything to do with the case and ran and left Danny high and dry and left him to fend for himself. Danny got charged and pled guilty to Fraud, Lying to investors, and accuntants of Celadon. Once Quaulty folded and was shut down by the government, Bobby got scared and decided to turn to Stoops Freightliner in Indy but Stoops wasn’t stupid and backed out and didn’t want anything to do with Celadon or their so called lease program and left. Danny started singing like a bird and brought down Eric and Bobby when it came to the link between Celadon and Quality Leasing. Once the link was found out that’s when the government stepped in started asking questions. That’s when the fraud and the over inflation of the Lease trucks was discovered and the connection to Jonathan was made and charges were brought against Eric and Bobby which resulted in the Court order to shut down the company completely until the Crimminal investigation was over with and more people ar the top are indicted and brought to justice
Since the freight is no longer your concern I would unhook and abandon it.
Take the truck home and file a lien on it, and park it on your property.
Then take whatever to go get your personal vehicle.
The truck alone is worth way more so auction with a reserve on all that is owed to you.
I don’t know anything about this company other than they have been around for awhile but one thing in the article jumps out at me and that’s the 4000 employees plus 3000 drivers losing their jobs ? If this company had 4000 employees being supported by 3000 drivers , well there’s the problem right there, Top Heavy , Nobody wants to work anymore they just want to sit behind a computer screen and bang buttons all day . I can see maybe 10% of the company in administrative roles and that’s it .
It takes alot of people behind the scenes to keep it going got people chasing money from people who didn’t want to pay and those are the real people I’m worried about cause there are only a few places that they can look for a job in the Indy area
No it’s 4000 total, 3000 of which was driver’s.
It is unfortunate this happened but if you are a truck driver(employed) then you should have an emergency fund or at least enough to get home! Also this has happened enough in 2019 that all truck drivers should be or get prepared because any of us could be in this situation at anytime! Because if you are one of the driver’s that only have Comdata card for payroll then you failed yourself, even if you cannot get a bank account there are pre-paid cards that you can get direct deposit & it is always your responsibility to watch out for you not anyone else. I could go on but I’m not trying to be cold but as grown up professional people you have to take responsibility to learn better & then do better……
A valid comment about having an emergency fund. I find myself pondering what I would do if I was hundreds of miles from home with a loaded truck and my fuel cards stopped working. At the first sign the company was doing me dirt I would use my money to fuel the truck and drive home and add my name to the list of debtors they owed: outstanding wages plus the cost of fueling.
Then I would talk to a lawyer about the legality of holding onto their assets pending payment.
A&R logistics is hiring all over for those looking for jobs and needing money I work there and have no issues at all here so if u need a job come get u one and celadon can suck a big fat egg they owe my brother a crap ton of money for tows winch outs and repairs which they never paid
Wow! Celadon branched out into Canada,many years ago,acquiring a local company where I live formally known as Strictly Gerth. Since then,they acquired even more trucking outfits here in The Province Of Ontario like Hyndman Transport. Just a couple of years ago,Celadon broke ground on a brand new yard complete with several acres of concrete parking lot for tractors and trailers at Ayr,On.(HWY 401 Exit 268). I imagine the vultures here in Canada are frothing at the mouth and lining up to acquire what’s left of Celadon at a bargain price.
I remember not to long ago a recruiter with Celadon was a guest on the trucking bozo show boasting about how great a company it was. Along with the back and forth chatter between the radio host and recruiter, they both painted Celadon as an above average carrier. Celadon =( still-low-down)
The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Poorer. I bet if you overturned this big rock you would find some filthy,
and very slippery creatures living together like D.O.J. and the Celadon’s CEO and corporate kingpins. It’s Corporate America left unchallenged and this is the byproduct….
.
I wish the best to each and every driver, it’s unfortunate that companies would close there doors so quick without notice.
praying for you all🙏
God bless you.
Why don’t todays CEO’s have any moral values ?
I remember guys like Arthur Imperatore who always looked out for his drivers.
I was going to go to this company about 2 months ago, and haul freight on their dedicated cigarette account. I knew something wasn’t right, because the recruiter was just going way too hard to recruit me. Glad I didn’t!!!
I worked for a small mom-and-pop trucking company that went bankrupt earlier this year and understand the feelings it brings. At least they brought all of their assets home before pulling the plug.
But I took 2 weeks off, didn’t even bother applying for employment insurance and with just a week of job-hunting was turning down potential employers to take the absolutely sweetest deal I could find.
Again, I know that your process will be different if stranded 1000’s of miles away from home and the primary concern is just getting home for Christmas. But there is a light not that far off down what might seem like a presently dark tunnel.
Well we operated in Canada b4 we bought gerth
Amen
I’d call the receiver of product on my truck. Inform them of what is
Happening with the trucking company delivering their product. Let them contact broker or whatever.
Ask them what they would like you to do. Explain you have no operating money. You only have desire to complete your delivery. That ends your responsibility.
Now to get home. Make sure the truck is in a proper and safe place. As stated you could even put it in storage in their name. This is a large asset. as drive you have paperwork who owns truck or leased it to Caledon.
This should take an hour and when you go forward you are doing it as a professional. Now the best have proof you are also an asset to their family. You are a Professional.
Was it the DOJ’s intention to force Celedon into bankruptcy or, did it really expect the $42m fine to be paid?
Either-way, the judgement will effectively raise transportation rates.
First of all for the management that knew that they were going to close the doors. I believe they should go to jail for not warning the employees. You really suck. I remember 30 years ago getting laid off on Christmas Eve it devastated my family my kids still talk about it. Thank God bless the drivers
As a former Celadon driver, I am left to file bankruptcy as my last 6 weeks checks were not even 200.00 and even though at a new company wont have christmas for my grandchildren and family. I am about to loose my place to live all becuz of celadon. They knew this was in the works they cud of advise and gave warning to employees