Matheson Trucking, Subsidiaries Going Out of Business

After six decades, California-based Matheson Trucking is shutting its doors and laying off all 335 employees. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022, along with two subsidiaries. All three companies will now be closing.

The trucking company, a major linehaul contractor for the U.S. Postal Service, had established a reputation for being a leader in converting to natural gas heavy-duty trucks.

Matheson Trucking and two subsidiaries, Matheson Postal Services and Matheson Flight Extenders, said in filings to the California Employment Development Department that the companies are ceasing operations, reported the Sacramento Bee. The layoffs across the three businesses and multiple states are reported to impact several thousand workers.

Bankruptcy and Layoffs

Matheson Postal Services and Matheson Flight Extenders had filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California in May 2022. Two months later, Matheson Trucking also filed for bankruptcy protection.

Matheson Flight Extenders, part of the Matheson transportation and logistics company, had earlier indicated it would be laying off 60 employees at its Denver, Colorado, facility. The action followed earlier announcements of major job cuts at multiple facilities. The company sent a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice to the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment on Dec. 1 informing the state of the job cuts, reported 9News.

In early September, Mass Live reported that Matheson Flight Extenders notified state and federal authorities it would eliminate 305 jobs by the end of October at its facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

The company had also, through similar filings, indicated the elimination of 335 jobs at its Atlanta, Georgia, facility and another 327 in Brandywine, Maryland.

Matheson and DEI Efforts

Matheson Trucking was recognized by HDT when it was selected for Top Green Fleets 2022, as well as the year before in 2021.

The company was one of the first U.S. Postal Service contractors to adopt alternative fuels and has a history of exploring environmental fleet practices and alternative fuels as far back as the 1990s. At the time of the 2022 HDT story, nearly half of Matheson’s 195 heavy-duty vehicles were powered by natural gas.

As recently as November, Matheson Trucking was recognized by the Women in Trucking Association when it was named to the 2023 Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation.