Posted on April 20, 2026
By Noi Mahoney
More layoffs have hit supply chain-related companies across the United States, signaling that while trucking spot market conditions have stabilized in some lanes, contract freight — particularly in dedicated and warehouse-linked operations — remains under pressure.
Recent WARN filings, company disclosures and media reports show 829 job cuts tied to contract losses, facility closures and shifting supply chain strategies across multiple states over the last three weeks.
Contract churn drives warehouse job cuts
Saddle Creek Logistics Services is laying off 168 workers at its New Caney, Texas, facility near Houston, with cuts effective June 11 after a customer opted to bring operations in-house. The affected roles are primarily forklift operators and warehouse workers.
The move follows earlier 2026 layoffs by Saddle Creek, including 151 workers in Bessemer, Alabama, highlighting a broader trend of shippers reevaluating outsourced logistics networks.
Similarly, Ryder System is exiting warehouse operations in Waterloo, Iowa, after a contract was not renewed. The closure will result in 153 layoffs by July 24, though the company said it will help transition workers to the incoming logistics provider.
Trucking firms cut drivers, dockworkers after lost business
In the trucking sector, Day & Ross USA is eliminating 149 jobs across five states following lost business tied to contract negotiations in 2025.
About 100 of those cuts are at its Hamilton, Ohio, facility, including 36 dockworkers and 54 drivers. Another 32 employees are being laid off in Utica, Michigan.
Fuel hauler Sentinel Transportation LLC is also reducing headcount, cutting 126 employees across 25 locations in California in permanent layoffs. The company, a subsidiary of Phillips 66, operates more than 30 terminals nationwide.
The cuts reflect continued softness in certain freight segments, particularly contract freight tied to industrial and energy demand.
Multi-state closures hit regional logistics networks
Legacy Supply Chain Operations is closing four facilities across Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee, eliminating 133 jobs. The company did not disclose a reason for the closures in state filings.
Meanwhile, last-mile delivery provider Pave It Forward Logistics abruptly shut down operations March 31, laying off 100 workers in Lebanon, Tennessee, according to local reports. Employees were reportedly given no severance or transition support.
Freight market signal: volatility persists
The layoffs cut across warehousing, dedicated contract carriage and last-mile delivery — segments closely tied to shipper demand cycles and contract stability.
A common thread: customer decisions.
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Shippers bringing logistics in-house
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Contracts not being renewed or renegotiated
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Facility consolidations across regional networks
For freight markets, the trend reinforces a familiar pattern in the downcycle: capacity exits not only through bankruptcies, but also through incremental job cuts tied to contract churn.
