A Charlotte-based trucking company plans to open a 400-employee trucking terminal in Kings Mountain early next year.
Bell Lines Inc. plans to reopen the long-dormant Carolina Western Express facility on Charles Street with 200 trucks, says Steve Taylor, vice president of operations. The operation will supplement the terminal that Bell Lines has in Charlotte.
Kings Mountain Mayor Rick Murphrey says the best news is the jobs the trucking company will bring.
“It’s a biggie for us,” he says. “We’re excited about those jobs. With this high unemployment, this is a Christmas present.”
Taylor says Bell Lines owner Charles Lohr, who ran Carolina Western 30 years ago, has long wanted to reopen the Cleveland County terminal.
Within the next three months, Bell Lines will operate long-haul, less-than-truckload and dedicated trucks from the facility.
“We liked the location,” Taylor says.
Bell Lines expects the economy to improve in 2010, and wanted to be prepared, Taylor says. “We’re just banking on a year from now when things start straightening out, we’ll be there.”
Bell Lines has bought the office, garage and about 5 acres for the operation.
Murphrey says the firm didn’t ask for incentives.
Source: Charlotte Business Journal
