Albany, Georgia-based Commercial Shuttle Service (CSS) ceased operations in mid-December, citing a mix of market conditions, insurance costs and aging ownership.
The company had 55 total employees, including 41 drivers, and 41 power units, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s SAFER database.
“My dad, AJ Collins, the company’s CEO, he’s in his 80s, and business had gotten tough, so he decided to shut it down,” Brett Collins, CSS’ former vice president, told FreightWaves.
Commercial Shuttle Service was a dry van carrier that worked with shippers nationwide but operated primarily in the Southeast.
The family-owned company was established in 1981, operating as a tire lumper service for Bridgestone/Firestone with one truck as Collins Brothers, according to the company’s website.
As business grew over the years, CSS’ fleet of International tractors traveled everywhere from Florida to as far north as Pennsylvania and as far west as Texas.
Brett Collins said another factor in the shutdown was that CSS was in the middle of renewing its carrier insurance and decided not to.
“My dad kept the company going as long as he could,” Brett Collins said. “My mother [Melba Collins] worked at the company, too. It was a family business.”
This year has been one of the toughest in the trucking industry in more than five years. Around 10 midsize and large carriers have shut their doors in 2019, including Celadon, HVH Transportation, New England Motor Freight Inc., Falcon Transport, Stevens Tanker Division, GDS Express and LME.
Brett Collins added that many of the laid-off employees at CSS have been able to find positions at other companies, or at least interview for new jobs.
“I’ve been dialing around, calling friends, bankers, helping as much as I could,” he said. “I’ve known a lot of these people more than 20 years.”
Robert L Hassell
Elogs, over regulations, Canadien and mexican companies under cutting American companies. It’s a formula for disaster.
Noble1
It’s called COMPETITION ! That’s what deregulation is all about and consumers are benefitting from it !
What are you complaining about ? Being outsmarted ? By the way Canadians transport CANADIAN GOODS to the USA . Nobody is forcing you to buy and consume them ! You’re the one getting a great deal on the exchange rate !
Concerning American goods being hauled back by a Canadian carrier from the US to Canada , it’s YOU Americans that hire them ! So if you’re going to complain about being undercut , complain to your own about cutting you out !
Have you ever thought about that ??? Americans undercutting Americans !
In my humble opinion …………
Noble1
This is all deja vu . 2008 should be a reminder .
Google this :
January 2009
Recession creates a load of problems for truckers .
The bubble has burst , and wait when the “general” economy follows suit . It’s right around the corner . It’s going to make 2008 look like a picnic . They pushed this bubble beyond reason since the last bust . That’s why it’s so extended . Wait when credit dries up . Just make sure you’re on the right side of the coin when it really starts to go haywire . Consumers are a lagging indicator and ALWAYS get caught with their pants down . It won’t be any different this time around .
In my humble opinion …………
Mike
This is why I will never drive for a smaller carrier. Im content with 60k a year only driving at most 8 months otr. My DM never gives me a hard time because when Im on the road im running hard. Im somewhere in the top 1% with regards to safety, csa, log violations and on time deliveries. If I don’t feel like driving no one gives me a hard time because I am the best!!!! Just say no to forced dispatch. I don’t play that game.
Christopher Creasy
Any time a company closes its doors .people are concerned..trucking is kind of like the gold rush..when everything is good like the economy had been for a number of years straight with trucking.everybody and there brother..went out started buying all these new trucks.lots of foreign companies came in open there doors .hiring drivers .paying more per mile and still able to haul freight cheaper than the American company’s because the fact they pay no income tax for the drivers they have no benefits for there drivers no insurance for drivers. That alone can afford them to take less
make more. The government Is the one who has to eat that. No tax . no insurance. who does that fall on ..both on uncle Sam….drivers are driving company trucks .have to take every load. There’s truly no way your a independent contractor. But they get by with it every day..come here get rich on our country and on our government’s expense .just words for thought. God bless and hope for a better 2020.
Ray Jacobs
Sad story….truth be told the not only is the older generation of drivers leaving the industry, the older fleet owners are also throwing in the the towel. While the CSA scores of the company may have been lackluster, the truth is the cost to truly operate a fleet is never truly reflected with the market rates carriers have to operate with today.
Beverly Shelley
My heart goes out to the family run old trucking businesses. Reading your story was like reading about my family. Back in 2002, my family ceased operations. My grandfather, Arthur Shelley, started his coast to coast trucking business in 1968. During the last few years we were all stressed…3 generations! At the time of insurance renewal we decided to close. High fuel, high insurance and the older generation of truckers reaching their peak years and retiring. Trying to teach new dogs old tricks just wasn’t working.
Patrick young
I don’t feel sorry for people who’ve been in business 38 years and then you decide to close the doors and leave people without jobs while you ride off into the sunset with there millions but you feel sorry for them it figures 🤔🤔
Jason Miller
Looking at the company’s SMS profile, they had fairly lackluster scores for the HOS compliance and vehicle maintenance metrics, with current scores of 0.62 and 7.17, respectively. Out of 30 vehicle inspections, 23 resulted in maintenance violations. They also had 2 OOS violations for having false duty records. So their insurance rates were likely going to jump substantially. While I will be the first to say that CSA scores need to be interpreted cautiously when there aren’t that many inspections, with 56 driver inspections and 30 vehicle inspections over the last two years, these scores aren’t likely stemming from random chance or getting a very stringent inspector or two. Rather, they point to underlying issues of managerial control.
Mike
I know the feeling, my tractor bobtail/liability is what I used to pay for cargo insurance. And I’m not driving a new truck, but a 2008 that is paid for with a clean driving record. It is going to get worse, as accidents and fatalities increase out here.
The Truth
Boy hush
Beverly Shelley
My heart goes out to the family run old trucking businesses. Reading your story was like reading about my family. Back in 2002, my family ceased operations. My grandfather, Arthur Shelley, started his coast to coast trucking business in 1968. During the last few years we were all stressed…3 generations! At the time of insurance renewal we decided to close. High fuel, high insurance and the older generation of truckers reaching their peak years and retiring. Trying to teach new dogs old tricks just wasn’t working.