Citing more than two years of net losses and a near-term financial outlook that looks hardly better, Starke, Florida-based reefer carrier Davis Express is parking its 160 trucks for good at month's end.
Davis Express primarily operates out of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.
"The last few years have been very challenging for refrigerated trucking as costs continue to rise while rates remain flat or have decreased," Jimmy Davis, president and owner of the 44 year old carrier wrote in a Facebook post. "We have been unprofitable since early 2023 and do not see any signs of improvement in 2025."
Davis said, too, the risks in trucking were more than he wanted to tackle after half a century in the business, and more than he wanted to pass along to his family, who will now venture into different career paths.
"Plaintiff’s attorneys have increasingly targeted the trucking industry. Every trip a driver takes is Russian Roulette for everything I worked for my entire life," he said. "After 50 years in the trucking industry, I am ready to retire and do not wish to wait any longer for things to improve or to try to find a buyer for the company."
While the company has been unprofitable the past several years, Davis stressed it is not broke or bankrupt, adding there are sufficient funds to pay out all employees, vendors and creditors as part of his timely wind down.
"We will continue to make deliveries through (April 23). We will return all trucks and trailers to our Starke terminal by (April 30)," he said. "All employees will continue to be paid timely every Friday and will receive benefits through the June 15 pay period. We will continue to employ mechanics and operate the shop for the time being as we take equipment out of service and sell. As we enter the final chapter of Davis Express, I want to thank everyone that has made the company successful over the years."
