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 17, 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 3.       Bankruptcy or Receivership.

         On  October  17,  2002,  the  United  States  Bankruptcy  Court for the
District of Delaware  (the  "Bankruptcy  Court")  approved  the  application  of
Matlack Systems,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  and its direct
and  indirect  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  (with  the  Company,   the  "Matlack
Entities") to convert the  proceedings in the Bankruptcy  Court under Chapter 11
of the United States  Bankruptcy  Code to which the Matlack  Entities are party,
which have been consolidated for the purpose of joint administration as Case No.
01-1114 (MFW), into a voluntary liquidation under Chapter 7 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code. The Company expects that the United States Trustee will appoint
a trustee  for the assets of the  Matlack  Entities,  subject to the  subsequent
election of a trustee by the creditors of the Matlack Entities.

         For  additional   information,   interested  parties  can  contact  the
Bankruptcy Court at the following address:

        United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
        824 Market Street
        5th Floor
        Wilmington, DE  19801
        (302) 252-2900

Item 5.       Other Events.

         On  October  17,  2002,   Stephen  E.  Judge,   the   Company's   Chief
Reorganization  Officer and the sole member of the Company's Board of Directors,
resigned from those  positions and from any other positions held as directors or
officers of any of the Matlack Entities. Mr. Judge tendered his resignation upon
the approval by the Bankruptcy  Court of the application of the Matlack Entities
to convert the Bankruptcy  Proceedings  into a voluntary  liquidation  under the
Chapter 7 of the United States  Bankruptcy  Code, and his resignation  will take
effect  upon  the  entry by the  Bankruptcy  Court  of an  order  effecting  the
conversion.







<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 17, 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": "02805923"}, "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 17, 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 3.       Bankruptcy or Receivership.

         On  October  17,  2002,  the  United  States  Bankruptcy  Court for the
District of Delaware  (the  "Bankruptcy  Court")  approved  the  application  of
Matlack Systems,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  and its direct
and  indirect  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  (with  the  Company,   the  "Matlack
Entities") to convert the  proceedings in the Bankruptcy  Court under Chapter 11
of the United States  Bankruptcy  Code to which the Matlack  Entities are party,
which have been consolidated for the purpose of joint administration as Case No.
01-1114 (MFW), into a voluntary liquidation under Chapter 7 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code. The Company expects that the United States Trustee will appoint
a trustee  for the assets of the  Matlack  Entities,  subject to the  subsequent
election of a trustee by the creditors of the Matlack Entities.

         For  additional   information,   interested  parties  can  contact  the
Bankruptcy Court at the following address:

        United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
        824 Market Street
        5th Floor
        Wilmington, DE  19801
        (302) 252-2900

Item 5.       Other Events.

         On  October  17,  2002,   Stephen  E.  Judge,   the   Company's   Chief
Reorganization  Officer and the sole member of the Company's Board of Directors,
resigned from those  positions and from any other positions held as directors or
officers of any of the Matlack Entities. Mr. Judge tendered his resignation upon
the approval by the Bankruptcy  Court of the application of the Matlack Entities
to convert the Bankruptcy  Proceedings  into a voluntary  liquidation  under the
Chapter 7 of the United States  Bankruptcy  Code, and his resignation  will take
effect  upon  the  entry by the  Bankruptcy  Court  of an  order  effecting  the
conversion.
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 17, 2002                 By: /s/ Stephen E. Judge
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Stephen E. Judge
                                              Chief Reorganization Officer