Two more Minnesota trucking companies abruptly closed their doors, adding to a growing list of industry casualties and leaving around 200 drivers out of work.
A frustrated truck driver, Josh, behind the YouTube channel The Enemy From Within, titled his latest video, “Donald Trump just screwed more American truckers.”
In the video, he said:
“But right now, the big thing that is going on that people need to be aware of economically is that the trucking industry is absolutely collapsing because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.”
The carriers, MinStar Transport and Transport Design Inc., were both owned by Minneapolis-based private equity firm True North Equity Partners. Each operated a fleet of about 100 trucks and had been part of the firm’s push into refrigerated and dry van logistics.
The closures were sudden. Drivers were reportedly notified overnight and left stranded on the road, in some cases with fuel cards turned off.
“You are now out of a job,” said the YouTuber, who explained that truckers often don’t live near their home terminals and may be thousands of miles from home when a company folds.
This latest shutdown comes as the freight industry continues to struggle through what some are calling the “Great Freight Recession,” now entering its fourth year.
Longstanding Companies Fold Under Pressure
MinStar and Transport Design are just the latest casualties. In early December, Carter Lake-based 10 Roads Express announced it would wind down operations by Jan. 30, 2026, laying off about 2,000 employees.
The company had been a U.S. Postal Service contractor for 47 years and lost 70% of its revenue after USPS reduced its reliance on contractors.
Across the industry, trucking companies are closing up shop as freight volumes drop, inflation drives up costs, and rates fall below sustainable levels.
Werner Enterprises Chief Commercial Officer Craig Callahan told local media that closures like these have become far too common.
“We’re going through three years of a freight recession, and unfortunately, it’s resulted in many strong companies that just can’t handle the financial distress,” Callahan said.
A Frustrated Industry Points to Policy
Josh, who’s chronicled the collapse of companies like Montgomery Transport and 10 Roads Express on his channel, puts the blame squarely on Trump’s economic policies, especially tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.
“All of Donald Trump’s poor economic policies continue to have their ripple effect through different industries… and right now it is the trucking industry that is getting hit exceptionally hard,” he said.
He noted that these companies are failing during what is normally the most profitable season of the year.
The host also criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on non-domiciled CDL holders, English proficiency requirements, and trucking schools, moves he said are reducing industry capacity and making conditions worse for working drivers.
The driver pointed to the scale of recent layoffs: 600 drivers from Montgomery Transport, 2,600 from 10 Roads, and now another 200 between MinStar and Transport Design.
“I absolutely guarantee you at least one of those drivers who used to be employed watched my channel, voted for Donald Trump, and told me that I was wrong about everything.”
For many, the loss of a trucking job is more than just a layoff. It’s being stranded with your belongings in a vehicle thousands of miles from home, with no fuel, no paycheck, and no clear way back.
Industry Conditions Expected to Worsen
The freight recession, now stretching into its third year, continues to hammer the trucking industry. Long-haul shipping demand fell by 25% in the first half of 2025. Rising fuel, labor, and insurance costs have cut deeply into profitability, while rates remain at unsustainable lows.
According to TheStreet, at least 21 freight companies filed for bankruptcy in Q3 of 2025, up from 20 in the prior quarter. Five companies filed in the final week of September alone, including Precision Express, L.S. Trucking, GMB Transport, WBK Transport, and Sky Rock Trucking.
Some companies, like 10 Roads Express and even industry giants such as J.B. Hunt, have opted to shut down operations entirely without filing for bankruptcy. J.B. Hunt, for example, closed its Lithonia, Georgia, facility at a Home Depot distribution center in late October.
10 Roads Express, a long-time USPS contractor, once operated over 3,500 tractors and 5,000 trailers from 36 terminals in 47 states. Despite its scale, the company couldn’t survive the shift by USPS to bring more of its logistics work in-house and rely on brokers, which cut deeply into revenue.
“Our industry has been navigating unprecedented challenges, and despite the dedication of our employees and leadership, the realities of the industry have become impossible to overcome,” a spokesperson for 10 Roads said in a statement to TheStreet.
The shutdowns come just as demand for long-haul freight has dropped 25% in the first half of 2025.
Freight rates remain low, while costs for labor, fuel, and insurance continue to climb. Many firms are now winding down without even filing for bankruptcy.
The closure of MinStar and Transport Design may seem minor next to bigger shutdowns, but the trucker emphasized how fast it’s adding up.
“This is a big deal,” Josh said, warning that the first quarter of 2026 could bring “absolute destruction” to the industry.
With more carriers folding, fewer backup options remain for displaced drivers. “Hatred doesn’t pay the bills,” the driver said.
“Culture wars don’t keep trucking companies in business. It takes good economic policy, not run by a f*** deeps*** that is hellbent on destroying the American working class.”
With January approaching, thousands more truckers could be forced off the road. Many now expect a wave of closures in early 2026 that could permanently reshape the American freight industry.