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Landstar????????????

Regan Mc Shane

New Member
Can anyone give me a few tips on landstar,i do own my own truck and live in chicago area and landstar has a terminal in Rockford (il)just north of chicago,is it true what they say by telling me theres thousands of loads to pick from????is it possible to serve the same three or four customers like they said,is it true that i can do local runs (paid percentage)as theres plenty of freight in chicago area?Anybody any thoughts on them before i go much futher,at present i drive local for swift(who dont pay to bad)but my freight is slowing down with them as they are losing customers due to some of our drivers attitude and delivering loads late,,,,anyone out there work for landstar a be glad of some feedback,thanks
 
What? If I was an owner operator ain't no way I'd haul freight for 25% of what the load pays. I make about that as a company driver.

No, I think he means after paying for fuel and operating costs you walk away with $500 net.

Let's see. If the load pays $2,000 and you get 70% that's $1,400. Now let's say it's a 1,000 mile run at 6mpg that's 166 gallons at $4.00 per gallon. Now your at $734. The rest is maybe operating costs, taxes and whatever.
 
No, I think he means after paying for fuel and operating costs you walk away with $500 net.

Let's see. If the load pays $2,000 and you get 70% that's $1,400. Now let's say it's a 1,000 mile run at 6mpg that's 166 gallons at $4.00 per gallon. Now your at $734. The rest is maybe operating costs, taxes and whatever.

That still doesn't add up.

An o/o at my company with their own trailer gets 84% of what the load pays. And they get fuel through the account the company has, for cost minus 10%.

Figure all the other costs and it still is better than 25%.

Way better.
 
That still doesn't add up.

An o/o at my company with their own trailer gets 84% of what the load pays. And they get fuel through the account the company has, for cost minus 10%.

Figure all the other costs and it still is better than 25%.

Way better.

Yes, but it's Landstar. The freedom to pick your own loads. Your finally the boss and in charge of your own destiny. Now go eat some cake.


Who's BAD NOW Racer???
 
It's simple; if you're an O/O then you do the math to understand how much you need per mile to run. If you're just calculating fuel and insurance payments, you'll be out of business in 2 years.
Here's an easy summary, and over simplified:
6mpg at $2.70 per gallon = 45cpm
18 tires cost 450.00 every 50,000 miles (accounting for road debris and such) that's $8,000 per 50,000 miles. Add 4cpm
Insurance around 250 per month. I run an average of 8,000 miles in a month. Add 1cpm, since it's a fraction of that.
For maintenance, figure your truck runs 1 million before it needs an inline or something, without which its scrap. Easy formula. Truck n trailer = $98,000 over 1 million miles. Add 10cpm.
And on, and on.
Yeah, it's tax deductible, which will help at the end of the year. Meanwhile, you've gotta pull the revenue to foot the bill.
My rig runs around 1.15 to run. Landstar gets 24% of the gross LH minus FSC. I don't start the truck unless the load is paying 1.95pm to the truck, including deadhead. Those loads, incidentally, are becoming as elusive as Bigfoot.
Rates have taken a nosedive this year, and the boards are getting clogged with rebrokered CH Robinson loads, JB loads, etc. Yeah Landstar has all these agents, and all these loads. There are, also, too many Avon lady agents that strictly pull from other boards, never shedding the pajamas. I make money. Most of us do. You can make money here, if you are smart about it and know what you need to roll.

Before you lease or buy anything, find out everything you'll be paying within 5 years. There are too many of us going out of business, or parking trucks and driving company because we can't afford to fix it. The biggest problem I had coming to Landstar was learning that I can lose money by turning the wheels. It's a different monster on this side.
 
I am an independent agent with Landstar. I work hard at my job. I only make a small percentage off of the line haul for each load a BCO takes from me. So the more money I get for a driver on each load, the more money I stand to make as well. I work with several BCOs regularly. I do not find ALL of their loads, but when they are in a tough spot they call me and ask me to look for a load for them.


I would like to also add this; I am a trucker’s wife. My husband is away from home more than he is here with me; I respect and appreciate him for the sacrifices he makes to provide for our financial security. Any BCO that I work with is treated as well as if he/she were my family member.


I have had loads posted on the board and had one of my regulars call about it...I have talked them out of the load because they have shared with me their situations and I know that this particular load will not suit their individual and personal needs. I would rather send my BCOs to another agent because they have a better load to offer than to lose credibility and respect by talking a driver into a load that would not benefit them financially or geographically. I feel that because Landstar is not forced dispatch, we shouldn't be allowed to use guilt, our womanly charms or bullying techniques to get a load sold. At the end of the night, a BCO is crawling into a bunk, thinking about home and we agents crawl into our own beds, in our own homes, yet we have to live with the choices we make. I cannot, with a clear heart; brow beat a driver into something that I know is not good for him.


At my agency we have a code we live by: There is nothing you will touch during the course of your day that a truck driver didn't touch first...Have you thanked your driver lately?


I work FOR the BCOs at Landstar. They do not work for me. I am in this position to assist these drivers to the best of my abilities. I make myself available 24/7 to any driver on a load with me. And I have answered the phone at 2am, and I have sat on the phone with a driver who was lost and couldn't find his drop address. As a team we got him delivered on time. I would like to think that I am not the exception to the rule. I would hope that other agents are equally as devoted to their drivers and their loads. I feel that the best way to earn respect with the drivers is to offer it to them. If I would like a driver to work with me in the future, how I treat him NOW will determine that.


I understand that there are agents with Landstar that are HORRIBLE. They are rude, inconsiderate and treat our BCOs like employees in a sweat shop. I have worked for one such individual. He has since been removed from his position. I have my OWN agency code, I answer to Landstar now and so far I am pleased with the work I have been able to do. I am BLUE STAR LOYAL.


I will admit that there are some flaws to the system and those are always being investigated and they are always trying to make it better. I admit that there are agents out there that are not looking out for the best interest of the BCOs, but we aren't all evil. And I admit that Landstar is just one of many trucking companies out there. I am not so blind that I am not capable of seeing the there is always room for improvement. But with all the companies I have worked for Landstar is very fair and they do try their best to accommodate all those involved.


It is unfortunate that many previous drivers with Landstar have found themselves in situations that leave a bad taste in their mouth when they utter the words Landstar. It is equally unfortunate that so many previous agents have made them feel this way. I know that my agency works for the drivers, we answer to Landstar as well. But I will not sell my soul just to book a load with a driver and I don't think that the driver should either. This is not the type of business where you will gain anything if you walk around with thin skin. I hear NO more times in one day than I had my whole life prior to Landstar. But I would rather hear NO on the phone before the load is booked than after the fact and both the driver and myself look foolish to a shipper.


There is money to be made in the Landstar system. Calling around and speaking with different agents will help you to determine which agent have loads that work for your style of driving. There are agents that have dedicated runs and others will have the backhaul. Some agents only deal with brokers because they haven't gotten their feet wet enough to have a direct shipper. As agents we ask a lot of questions of the driver, it is only fair that the driver be able to ask the same.

1. What lanes do you cover?

2. Do you have any dedicate runs?

3. What is the standard fuel surcharge?

4. Do you deal with brokers or do you have any direct shippers?

5. What is your availability if I book a load with you?

6. What are your hours of operation?

7. How many other agents work in your office?

8. Do you stay in contact with the driver about changes to the load once booked?


You should be able to ask any of these questions and get a straight answer out of the agent. If the answers meet your needs, you may have found a great agent to work with. Also, do not be afraid to reach out to your domicile agent. It is their job to see to it that you understand everything that is available to you as a driver. And the folks over at BCO Services are there to offer you support as well.


Here is what I have seen: I saw a driver struggling. I did not have a load for him but in searching found an agent that did. I turned my driver over to this agent and they helped him out. My driver was 2 months behind on his truck payments, he was behind on his bills at home and his wife was not handling it all very well and was looking to leave him if things didn't turn around. This driver was busting his behind trying to make things work; he was home only once every 3 months. The agent that took over my driver set him up with dedicated runs that lasted over 8 months. That driver called me a month ago to just say HI. His wife is a happy camper, their bills are paid on time, he is home at least once every 3 weeks and he just made his LAST payment on his truck. It was all about finding the right agent.


This is not an isolated situation. This is happening throughout Landstar. But the driver needs to be aware of his options, the resources available to him and not just ask what he can do for Landstar, but what can Landstar do for him. All of the previous posts about Landstar are so very helpful. Educate yourself before making a decision that will impact your life so dramatically.
 
Here is what I have seen: I saw a driver struggling. I did not have a load for him but in searching found an agent that did. I turned my driver over to this agent and they helped him out. My driver was 2 months behind on his truck payments, he was behind on his bills at home and his wife was not handling it all very well and was looking to leave him if things didn't turn around. This driver was busting his behind trying to make things work; he was home only once every 3 months. The agent that took over my driver set him up with dedicated runs that lasted over 8 months. That driver called me a month ago to just say HI. His wife is a happy camper, their bills are paid on time, he is home at least once every 3 weeks and he just made his LAST payment on his truck. It was all about finding the right agent.

I don't want to be too judgmental here, but that sounds like a driver who would be better off as a company driver, or had a dispatcher to push him.

I was ready to make a move to Landstar when I purchased my truck a couple weeks ago, but Landstar dropped the ball on my application. I may still make that move after the holidays, but I will definitely be doing more research to find out how these drivers are doing. Dropping the ball on the application process was not a good first impression though.
 
I was ready to make a move to Landstar when I purchased my truck a couple weeks ago, but Landstar dropped the ball on my application. I may still make that move after the holidays, but I will definitely be doing more research to find out how these drivers are doing. Dropping the ball on the application process was not a good first impression though.

Just to clarify. If the ball was dropped on your app, it wasn't Landstar that dropped it...

The people who get your application(Qualification Centers) and dropped the ball are not Landstar, they are contractors the same as Agents and BCOs, some good, some bad...

That said, one of the major complaints from people is how long the application process takes to get qualified for Landstar, so given that you said it was only a couple weeks since you bought your truck, maybe the ball hasn't been dropped, only taking it's sweet time through the process...

I love it here at Landstar, but one of the first things you will find out about them if you come over is that they are very anal retentive. Every i must be dotted and every t crossed...

Not saying it is the case here, but I have heard many stories about Qualification Centers that just quit processing an app if it contains any errors or missing info, without a call to the driver for corrections...

Constant follow up is required.

I have talked to many who turned away from Landstar just because of the application process, even done correctly it is a 2-3 week process, but I believe that it is worth it, because if you don't want to get your own authority with the expense that involves and the added benefit of chasing after money owed you, then Landstar is the next best thing...
 
I am an independent agent with Landstar. I work hard at my job. I only make a small percentage off of the line haul for each load a BCO takes from me. So the more money I get for a driver on each load, the more money I stand to make as well. I work with several BCOs regularly. I do not find ALL of their loads, but when they are in a tough spot they call me and ask me to look for a load for them.....


Here is what I have seen: I saw a driver struggling. I did not have a load for him but in searching found an agent that did. I turned my driver over to this agent and they helped him out. My driver was 2 months behind on his truck payments, he was behind on his bills at home and his wife was not handling it all very well and was looking to leave him if things didn't turn around. This driver was busting his behind trying to make things work; he was home only once every 3 months. The agent that took over my driver set him up with dedicated runs that lasted over 8 months. That driver called me a month ago to just say HI. His wife is a happy camper, their bills are paid on time, he is home at least once every 3 weeks and he just made his LAST payment on his truck. It was all about finding the right agent.


This is not an isolated situation. This is happening throughout Landstar. But the driver needs to be aware of his options, the resources available to him and not just ask what he can do for Landstar, but what can Landstar do for him. All of the previous posts about Landstar are so very helpful. Educate yourself before making a decision that will impact your life so dramatically.

The world needs more people like you! Bless you!
 

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