As Jack Cooper Transport Co. LLC, the Kansas City-based vehicle carrier, closes its Wentzville facility for good, the local workforce is feeling the effects. In a notice issued under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the company announced the permanent layoff of around 239 employees, effective last Saturday. This comes after the company was unable to secure a new contract with General Motors, its long-time client, as reported by KSDK.
Following the cessation of operations at the Wentzville location, one affected driver's spouse disclosed to FOX 2 News that employees were informed of the layoffs via an email received a day after the closure. Originating in 1928, Jack Cooper's legacy as a premier vehicle transporter for General Motors poignantly ends, leaving more than the 200 people in Wentzville jobless, alongside the earlier layoff of over 400 employees in Kansas City.
This string of layoffs follows a wave of contract terminations between Jack Cooper and major automakers. Jennifer Holdsworth, a company spokesperson, confirmed the end of longstanding partnerships with both Ford Motor Co. and General Motors. In an announcement reported by Trucking Dive, Holdsworth stated the company's decision to shut down facilities in multiple states. A letter from CEO Sarah Amico to employees was cited by FreightWaves indicating the business would cease operations.
In Michigan, Jack Cooper had already signaled an impending closure of a site in the Detroit area, specifically in Wayne, affecting nearly 90 workers.
