Exclusive: Central Freight Lines to shut down after 96 years
Central Freight Lines is shutting down after 96 years in operation, marking the end of a long-running name in the U.S. trucking industry.
No additional details were provided about the timing, the reason for the closure, or what will happen to drivers, terminals, and freight currently in the network.
For working drivers, a carrier shutdown matters immediately because it can affect pay, benefits, scheduled runs, equipment turns, and the ability to keep freight moving without interruption. It can also create uncertainty for customers and for other carriers in the same lanes as freight gets re-bid or re-routed.
Central Freight Lines’ closure adds to the broader reality that trucking companies can and do exit the market, even long-established ones. When that happens, drivers and freight tend to shift quickly to other employers and networks, often with little notice.