Letters to the Editor: Closing of CF
The closing of the Consolidated Freightways system came as a complete shock to the vast majority of employees, with absolutely no advance notice. The bankruptcy courts should never allow a filing without compliance with the federal plant-closing warning act.
This complete closure on a federal holiday was an insult to the hardworking employees, who in recent months went far beyond the call of duty to increase production in an all-out effort to ensure the company’s future as well as their own continued job security.
The bankruptcy filing needs to be denied. It’s a sad day when employers do practically anything and everything the top management wants to do with a corporation, with little or no recourse for the “little guy,” the dedicated employees who have worked hard, sweated and even bled to keep their employer in business.
I>Driver-hostler
onsolidated Freightways
olumbus, Ohio
B>Consolidated Freightways closed just like another large carrier a few years ago, NW Transport, with no notice at all.
We can all start pointing fingers at everybody for price wars. The carriers and the shippers are responsible for the closing this time.
When will the shippers start to pay what transportation really costs? Carriers need a return on their investment to stay in business. Shippers don’t see it like this. They will start to realize it when more carriers start to foldlike CF. There will be a monopoly in the industry and then they will pay for our services.
Michael Browne
I>Terminal Manager
uaranteed Air Freight &
orwarding Inc.
rabuco Canyon, Calif.
B>I hate to see an icon like Consolidated Freightways disappear from our less-than-truckload industry. Over the years, others just like it have disappeared, such as Jones Truck Lines, Willig Freight Lines, Superior Fast Freight, System 99, Milne Truck Lines, NationsWay, Ryder/PIE, Preston Truck Lines, etc.
All these carriers had their unique characteristics and personalities. It seems that Consolidated Freightways was like Wal-Mart Stores in its early use of computers in maintaining efficiency. For example, CF seemed to lead the way for EDI and on-line freight bill payments.
We will not spot CF trailers at industries any more, or speeding by on intermodal trains. This will be missed.
In the past, it was rumored that one of the larger LTL carriers was talking about merging with CF. I hoped that maybe CF could be made into a regional carrier as a result of a merger, focusing on one-, two- and three-day delivery traffic lanes. And my hope still exists as a long shot. In the past, United Parcel Service shopped around for an LTL carrier. Maybe UPS could buy selected terminals and equipment from the bankruptcy proceedings, and then CF could still exist.
Being associated with UPS, for example, CF could be a premier and efficient carrier. Operations could involve a greater percentage of line-haul movements like UPS’s hub-and-spoke system of moving many trailers via intermodal. One thing is for certain; CF would still survive if it had a team supporter like UPS.
This might be wishful thinking, but we see FedEx owning Viking Freight and American Freightways, with a change of name to FedEx Freight.
Alan Murakami
I>Los Angeles
qual Treatment
These letters appeared in the Sept. 16 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
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