INDIANAPOLIS — Over 4,000 workers are out of job just weeks before Christmas as Celadon Trucking filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good this week.
“It hurts. The closer I got to Indy the more it hit home you know,” said David Sampson, a truck driver who was returning from delivering a load when he heard the news the company was closing.
“I was living in the truck,” he told WISH-TV. ” I lost all my stuff, except for a bag of clothes and that’s it. And I have my car.”
As employees walked out of the Celadon headquarters for the final time this week along 33rd street, instead of aimlessly driving or walking home or wherever they thought they were going to go, they were greeted by representatives of neighboring trucking company’s offering them jobs on the spot.
“It’s right before Christmas,” said Natasha Mendoza, a recruiting manager with Centerline Drivers. “These people have families and kids they need to take care of. We just want to make sure these people can take care of their families and have a steady income and that we can get them a job.”
Sampson ended up landing a job with CRST Transportation.
“Special thanks to CRST,” he said. “They helped me out, no strings attached.”
Celadon filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ceased operations this week after two former executives were indicted for fraud.
(PHOTO: WISH-TV)
