INDIANAPOLIS -- The final day of the year marked the last day on the job for 42 inspectors with the Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Division.

The state eliminated about half of the workforce of the division tasked with inspecting large trucks and school buses in an effort to trim costs.

On Thursday, the employees who were let go lined up at the state police garage to return their vehicles and say goodbye to friends and colleagues, 6News' Stacia Matthews reported.

"It's tough day," one inspector said. "It's very unfortunate that this is going on, but it's just very tough."

Forty-one motor carrier inspectors now make up the civilian force, in which employees don't carry weapons and are strictly limited to enforcement of motor carrier laws.

Beginning on Friday, state troopers will be assigned additional duties once carried out by the inspectors.