BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — Action News Jax is looking into the impacts as one local town is losing one of its biggest employers.
Davis Express, a long-time trucking company, is shutting down and laying off its staff.
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Jimmy Davis, the company’s owner and president, took to social media to announce the closure. In a Facebook post, he said the company has been unprofitable since early 2023 and does not see any signs of improvement in 2025.
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A notice to the state said Davis Express has 163 employees, and the company said they will all be paid through mid-June.
The company is one of the ten biggest employers in all of Bradford County, and in Starke, many people are connected to the trucking company.
“It’s definitely heartbreaking,” Jose Cabrera, who works at Laredo Mexican Restaurant, said.
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“It was sad,” Bonnie Ripley, who lives in Starke, said. “My husband started working for Davis Trucking, so we moved here. He really enjoyed the company, and he felt like they had strong family values.”
Lake Ray, the president of the First Coast Manufacturers Association, said the impacts of this closure could be significant.
“When we see companies like this shut down, it is a little bit of a concern because it does mean that there will be a reshuffle of companies in terms of getting the goods and being able to manufacture,” Ray said.
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