UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):             October 2, 2002
                                                           ---------------------


                              MATLACK SYSTEMS, INC.
                   (Debtor-In-Possession as of March 29, 2001)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                     1-10105              51-0310173
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)       File Number)      Identification Number)

        One Rollins Plaza, Wilmington, Delaware                   19803
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:               (302) 426-3400
                                                               -----------------

                                       N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)




<PAGE>



Item 5.       Other Events.

         Matlack Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  and all
of its direct and indirect  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  (with the Company,  the
"Matlack  Entities") are the subjects of a voluntary petition seeking protection
under  Chapter  11 of the United  States  Bankruptcy  Code in the United  States
Bankruptcy  Court for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy  Court"),  which
are  consolidated  for the purpose of joint  administration  as Case No. 01-1114
(MFW) (the "Bankruptcy Proceedings"). On October 2, 2002, the Company, acting on
behalf  of all of the  Matlack  Entities,  filed  with the  Bankruptcy  Court an
application to convert the Bankruptcy  Proceedings into a voluntary  liquidation
under  Chapter 7 of the United  States  Bankruptcy  Code.  The Matlack  Entities
believe  that they are  entitled as a matter of right to effect the  conversion.
The Company expects that,  after the conversion,  the United States Trustee will
appoint a trustee for the remaining assets of the Matlack Entities.  The Company
expects the  Bankruptcy  Court to approve the  application  for  conversion at a
hearing to be held on October 17, 2002.

         Following  the  filing  of  the   application  for  conversion  of  the
Bankruptcy  Proceedings  into a  voluntary  liquidation,  the  Matlack  Entities
terminated all of their remaining  employees but Stephen E. Judge, the Company's
Chief Reorganization Officer.







<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                          MATLACK SYSTEMS, INC.


Dated:   October 9, 2002                  By: /s/ Stephen E. Judge
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Stephen E. Judge
                                              Chief Reorganization Officer
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MATLACK SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000837339", "assigned-sic": "4213", "irs-number": "510310173", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10105", "film-number": "02788921"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE ROLLINS PLAZA", "street2": "2200 CONCORD PIKE", "city": "WILMINGTON", "state": "DE", "zip": "19803", "phone": "3024262700"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE ROLLINS PLAZA", "street2": "2200 CONCORD PIKE", "city": "WILMINGTON", "state": "DE", "zip": "19803"}}
UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):             October 2, 2002
                                                           ---------------------

                              MATLACK SYSTEMS, INC.
                   (Debtor-In-Possession as of March 29, 2001)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                     1-10105              51-0310173
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)       File Number)      Identification Number)

        One Rollins Plaza, Wilmington, Delaware                   19803
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:               (302) 426-3400
                                                               -----------------

                                       N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Item 5.       Other Events.

         Matlack Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  and all
of its direct and indirect  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  (with the Company,  the
"Matlack  Entities") are the subjects of a voluntary petition seeking protection
under  Chapter  11 of the United  States  Bankruptcy  Code in the United  States
Bankruptcy  Court for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy  Court"),  which
are  consolidated  for the purpose of joint  administration  as Case No. 01-1114
(MFW) (the "Bankruptcy Proceedings"). On October 2, 2002, the Company, acting on
behalf  of all of the  Matlack  Entities,  filed  with the  Bankruptcy  Court an
application to convert the Bankruptcy  Proceedings into a voluntary  liquidation
under  Chapter 7 of the United  States  Bankruptcy  Code.  The Matlack  Entities
believe  that they are  entitled as a matter of right to effect the  conversion.
The Company expects that,  after the conversion,  the United States Trustee will
appoint a trustee for the remaining assets of the Matlack Entities.  The Company
expects the  Bankruptcy  Court to approve the  application  for  conversion at a
hearing to be held on October 17, 2002.

         Following  the  filing  of  the   application  for  conversion  of  the
Bankruptcy  Proceedings  into a  voluntary  liquidation,  the  Matlack  Entities
terminated all of their remaining  employees but Stephen E. Judge, the Company's
Chief Reorganization Officer.
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          MATLACK SYSTEMS, INC.

Dated:   October 9, 2002                  By: /s/ Stephen E. Judge
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Stephen E. Judge
                                              Chief Reorganization Officer