The Great Freight Recession shows no signs of ending anytime soon as many reputable trucking companies close their doors permanently.
In some cases, shipping companies declared bankruptcy, with about 21 firms filing petitions in the third quarter of 2025 and 20 companies in the second quarter.
Even major trucking companies close facilities or entire businesses without filing for bankruptcy.
Trucking giant JB Hunt Transport Inc. closed its facility at a Home Depot distribution center in Lithonia, Ga., on Oct. 27, 2025, and U.S. Postal Service trucking contractor 10 Roads Express announced plans to end its mail delivery business and close all operations by the end of January 2026.
None of those companies filed for bankruptcy.
10 Road Express has submitted a 60-day worker adjustment and retraining notice on December 1 with a deadline of January 30, 2026. About 2,000 workers will be laid off.
The Carter Lake, Iowa, transportation and logistics company, which reported 2,462 power units and 2,606 drivers on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration SAFER website, was founded in 1946 and contracted with the U.S. Postal Service for 47 years.
10 Roads Express decided to close its operations after continued and significant headwinds affected the transportation industry and the company, whose primary customer is the U.S. Postal Service, it said in a statement. The company also carries commercial products.
“Our industry is navigating unprecedented challenges, and despite the dedication of our employees and leadership, the realities of the industry have been impossible to overcome,” a 10 Roads spokesperson said in a statement sent to TheStreet.
Standard Forward Freight has closed its business.Shutterstock” loading=”eager” height=”540″ width=”960″ class=”yf-lglytj loader”/>
Standard Forward Freight has closed its business.Shutterstock
And now, Standard Forwarding Freight, a less-than-truckload shipping company that operates in 16 states, closed its business on Dec. 29, laying off employees. It did not indicate the next step.
The East Moline, Ill.-based trucking company said in a statement on its website that it is suspending its daily operations.
Some of the company’s drivers claimed they were notified on December 28 and the company was closing permanently, FreightWaves reported.
“Effective December 29, 2025, following a comprehensive strategic review of the business, Standard Forwarding Freight, LLC has made the difficult but necessary decision to temporarily suspend its daily operations and reduce its workforce,” the company said in a statement.
“This decision was taken after careful consideration of the company’s current circumstances and the need for a systematic assessment of the business,” the statement said. “During this period, Standard Forwarding Freight, LLC will conduct an operational assessment to determine appropriate next steps.”
“Standard Forwarding Freight LLC thanks those who support the business and acknowledge the relationships developed in its operations,” the statement concluded.
The trucking company also has no plans to sell its assets or file for bankruptcy protection.
“This news was completely unexpected, as Standard Forwarding had not previously faced any challenges or difficulties with our union or attempted to work to avoid this outcome,” Teamsters National Freight Director Tom Murphy said in a statement on Dec. 29, according to FreightWaves.
Founded in 1934, the company operated as a next-day and two-day regional trucking company with 14 terminals in five Midwest states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Additional closures:
The trucking company, however, had expanded its LTL service lanes to 11 more states, including Arizona, California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, and Utah, according to an Aug. 15, 2025, statement.
Standard Forwarding Freight also offers cross-border shipping between the US and Canada.
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Arizona
California
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
ohio
South Carolina
Utah
Canada
The trucking company listed 307 power units and 230 drivers on a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration secure website filed on September 15, 2025. Safer filings listed the company’s cargo as general cargo; metal sheets, coils, and rolls; logs, poles, beams and lumber; building materials, liquids and gases; grain, feed, and hay; chemistry; Dry bulk goods; and agricultural/agricultural supplies.
Normal fare
Metal sheets, coils, and rolls
Logs, poles, beams and lumber
Building materials
liquids and gases
Grain, feed, and hay
Chemistry
Dry bulk goods
Agriculture / Agricultural Supplies
Standard Forwarding Freight was owned by DHL Freight from 2011 until Sachem Holdings acquired the company in January 2025.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on January 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Automotive section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.
