Stevens Tanker Division planned to cease all operations Oct 15, according to a letter from Scott Mellman, executive vice president, sent to office personnel.
The letter, dated Sept 25 and uploaded as an image on Facebook two days later, says the Dallas-based carrier, a subsidiary of Stevens Transport, is permanently closing all Stevens Tanker Division business at all locations and in all divisions due to a “general decline in the industry” that “has taken a terrible toll” on the company.
“The final decision to close was the result of unforeseen business developments over which Stevens Tanker Division had no control, including a 65% reduction in sand orders starting on Sept 20, 2019 and the continual loss of production water due to customers’ increased use of piping,” Mellman writes in the letter.
Stevens Tanker serves oil and gas companies in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and New Mexico by hauling water and frac sand used in drilling operations.
According to a notice sent to the Texas Workforce Commission, the division’s closure will affect more than 500 jobs in Texas. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data indicates Stevens Tanker employed 576 drivers and deploys 853 power units as of Oct 9.
Stevens Transport is one of the largest trucking companies in the US, with nearly 2,000 trucks, primarily focused on refrigerated truckloads. In Refrigerated Transporter’s latest Refrigerated Fleet Gross Revenue Report, the company reported revenue of $719.9 million in 2018, up from $693.8 million in 2017.
