Muir’s Cartage cuts company drivers loose, will operate as O/O fleet

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CONCORD, Ont. — Muir’s Cartage has let go of all its company drivers and will rely entirely on owner/operators going forward, Trucknews.com has learned.

Marcus Pryce-Jones, CEO of Muir’s parent company Calyx Transportation Group, confirmed the changes this morning.

“It was a decision that was made based on customer demand and what the market would bear,” he told Trucknews.com. He added Muir’s Cartage is the only trucking firm within the Calyx Group impacted by the changes.

He then referred further questions to Muir’s Cartage. Inquiries left with Muir’s have thus far gone unanswered.

Muir’s Cartage is one of Ontario’s longest-running trucking companies. It has been in business for more than 100 years. In 2007, the company sold its cross-border truckload division to Kriska Transportation. Today, Muir’s operates as a core carrier to big box retailers, and offers regional LTL and truckload services as well as warehousing.

Last year, the fleet operated 211 tractors, according to the Top Tier report on Canadian trucking capacity, published by Motortruck Fleet Executive.

Trucknews.com will have more details on Muir’s transformation as they become available.

– Are you a Muir’s Cartage driver who was affected by the changes? E-mail the author at jmenzies@trucknews.com.

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Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry.


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  • Definitely, red flags going up on this one. Be interesting to hear what the customers/market demands are. Sounds like they are putting themselves out to pasture.

  • The market??
    As a company we rely on our company drivers. If any of the Muir’s guys want a new home then come see us at CRS. Our customers love our company guys.

  • This must impact a large number of drivers, sad to say. Did the company care at all. Sounds terribly like a move toward American style of dollars and cents over employee loyalty.

    • they did not care, I cannot believe that this family run company (for the 35 years a family member of mine worked for them) went and dropped all their long and short time drivers like that. we were not affected as my family member retired years ago. Before Muirs got involved with the Caylx group they were a great company, benefits, good pay, open door policy, and treatment of drivers was one of the best in the industry. Gord Muir is probably rolling over in his grave seeing what has happened to his company he was a great man.

      • Gord Muirs son Richard was the best employer I ever worked for. Muirs Cartage started to go downhill when he sold the business. Richards door was always open if you had a problem or just wanted to sit and talk. I worked in Muirs dispatch off and on for 22 years and loved every minute of it. I always looked forward to going to work every day.

  • Sure sounds like a simple case of getting rid of company drivers to save on benefits, stat holidays, vacation pay,and all other perks their drivers had.

  • hey, as long as the ministry of labour continues to have no teeth to affect change…..more and more companies will laugh all the way to the bank as they force more and more workers to become ‘independent operators’….not even having their name as owners of the truck, responsible for their own wsib, taxes and repairs to the parent company’s trucks and trailers….this is almost slave labour folks.

    ha ha

  • Hi my name is Gerry Johnston I worked for Muirs cartage for 24 years and as a driver I did everything that I was asked to do and I’ll tell it’s too bad that they went that way or I would still be there