Shutdown Rumors Spread Across the Trucking Industry

Rumors are circulating online that two Minnesota-based carriers, MinStar Transport and Transport Designs, may be shutting down operations, potentially affecting around 200 drivers only weeks before Christmas. Posts being shared across trucking groups claim each fleet runs roughly 100 trucks and note that both companies are tied to the same ownership group. As of now, no official statement has been released by either carrier or its parent company, and federal records continue to list both motor carriers as active. While drivers are talking and speculation is growing, nothing has been formally confirmed.

These kinds of shutdown rumors have become increasingly common as the trucking industry continues to face severe financial pressure. Over the past two years, many small and mid-sized fleets have folded due to falling freight rates, rising fuel costs, expensive insurance premiums, equipment financing issues, and shrinking profit margins. The overall freight recession has pushed even long-standing carriers to the edge, and one unexpected setback, a major customer loss, legal dispute, or equipment drain, can be enough to collapse a company. Whether these Minnesota rumors turn out to be true or not, they highlight the harsh reality many trucking companies are navigating in today’s market.