Dubuque, Iowa-based Hirschbach Motor Lines has completed its acquisition of Sapulpa-based John Christner Trucking, according to reports from Land Line Media.
The trucker publication reported that Hirschbach CEO and owner Brad Pinchuk describes the acquisition as a perfect fit. “Today officially brings together these two great originations that complement each other perfectly—like putting two puzzle pieces together,” Pinchuk said. “The combination of Hirschbach and JCT will provide our customers a breadth of nationwide cold supply chain transportation services.”
John Christner began trucking in the 1960s hauling produce from California. He started JCT in 1986 and later handed operating control of the company over to his two sons, Danny and Darryl.
John and Darryl are reportedly retiring from the company, while Danny is joining Hirschback as the president of JCT, which Hirschbach says will continue to run as a separate entity under the Hirschbach umbrella.
In a statement to the Tulsa World, Danny Christner said the decision to keep the JCT name was important to “retain JCT’s identity and autonomy to continue delivering on the longstanding commitments we have to our customers, drivers and non-driving associates.”
John Christner Trucking was involved in a class-action lawsuit originally filed in 2017 alleging that some truckers were employees of the company and should have been treated as such.
The original complaint alleged that truck drivers for JCT often worked 70-100 hours per week while being paid less than $500.
JCT was a for-hire motor carrier that relied on drivers who operate trucks leased from its company, Three Diamond Leasing.
The original suit, filed by plaintiff Thomas Huddleston, says that Huddleston believes JCT misclassifies him and other leasing drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.
The case was given class-action status in 2020. It’s unclear if the case was resolved at the time of JCT’s acquisition by Hirschbach.
