Celadon truck drivers turn to Facebook as thousands left stranded and jobless by bankruptcy

By Lydia Dishman

From the promise of new jobs to hot showers, meals, and a place to rest, Good Samaritans of all stripes are gathering on a Facebook group formed in the wake of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Celadon Group trucking company.

The Indiana-based company let more than 3,000 drivers go, according to local CBS news affiliate WTTV. Truckers in the Facebook group are posting about having 20 minutes to clear out their trucks and go. CBS also reported that some drivers “were stranded when their company gas cards were canceled.”

Screenshots of Celadon’s messages to drivers on Freightwaves indicate that the company will not leave anyone stranded and “everyone who follows instructions will be paid for the work and miles assigned and completed.”

Paul Svindland, CEO of the 34-year-old company, cited the expense of a federal investigation into Celadon’s alleged accounting fraud, debt, and “enormous challenges” in the industry as factors that led to the bankruptcy filing. However, the Freightwaves report indicates that this has been years in the making and speculates that the office staff at Celadon’s headquarters might have even bigger challenges than the drivers to find other jobs.

“Celadon was the largest trucking company based in Indiana, with no equivalent competitor in the area. As such, finding an employer or group of employers that can absorb the size of the truckload administrative workforce will be difficult,” the report notes.

Fortunately for the truckers, help and opportunities are being updated on Facebook by the minute. “if any driver around Bristol tn or glade springs va need help you text me [sic],” one individual wrote, echoing many others.

The public Facebook group, “Celadon Closure Assistance and Jobs,” had about 1,300 members as of Monday afternoon.

 
 
 

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