CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The doors of J&M Pilot Car Services and Retreat have closed their doors in Beeville for the time being. Owner John Anderson can’t figure out why he hasn’t been approved for his second Payment Protection Program Loan. He applied on Jan. 19.
“What is going on?" Anderson said. "Why are they putting small businesses out, like mine?"
Anderson had to tell his staff of 13 on Tuesday not to come in with everything on hold.
“That’s not a conversation you want to have," he said.
Pilot cars are the ones you see driving on highways ensuring the safety of oversized loads and the drivers around those trucks.
PPP Loans are for small businesses with under 300 employees and the money helps to keep people employed, pay utilities and mortgages, etc.
The way a business applies for a PPP loan is by going through a lender who communicates with the Small Business Administration. Anderson is using the First National Bank of Texas. He said the bank is waiting on SBA approval and the SBA is waiting on things from the bank.
“Submits it to SBA," Anderson started. "SBA submits it back. I’ve sent over 40 some odd documents to that bank. I’m getting emails from the bank at 11:30 at night. Oh, well, SBA wants this now. I could have filed my taxes easier than I can deal with this.”
Anderson received a PPP loan of over $10,000 in the first round. He had no issues getting that money and the loan was forgiven. He now is requesting $38,000 dollars. Without it, his doors may stay closed permanently.
“My people have to work. I have a business — You think I like to lose my business?”
An SBA representative said it’s the lenders that have to initiate the loan not SBA. This year, over 890,000 loans have already been approved, according to the SBA website. The site also states it takes approximately 10 days for the whole process.
Anderson has now reached out to his state representative, state senator and the governors office for some help.
We reached out to the First National Bank of Texas, but did not hear back.
