Landstar

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by bobbyrayl, Oct 17, 2010.

  1. G/MAN

    G/MAN Road Train Member

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    Landstar takes 20% off the top if you run your own authority. If an agent really needs to move a load they might bump it up a bit or may be able to get a little more money from the shipper. One thing Landstar does very well is make money. They make a lot of money from carriers and BCO's or owner operators who lease to them.

    There are a lot of little fees that they charge which mounts up to a lot of revenue when you consider they have thousands of owner operators and carriers with whom they do business.

    They offer some discounts on equipment and accessories, but when I leased to them I found that I could do better on my own as far as equipment is concerned. It can help to get discounts on fuel and tires. They don't do lease purchase deals and for the most part treat BCO's or owner operators as business partners rather than company drivers. There are resources available, but you are pretty much on your own with them. For someone starting out I am not sure that Landstar would be the best choice unless you are very self motivated and have a good amount of cash put aside to help you learn their system. There are some who do well and others who don't. If you can hook up with agents with the better paying loads out of the chute, then you stand a good chance of being successful. If you expect someone to hold your hand and find your loads for you then you are likely going to fail with Landstar.

    Your success of failure is entirely in your own hands. It helps to know your way around the business before leasing to them. I have often said that Landstar is basically a broker who happens to own their own bank.
     
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  3. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    If you need to be babysat as in FM / DISPATCHER has to motivate / push you to get things done , your in for a RUDE awakening at Land Star its up to you to get MOTIVATED.
     
    volvodriver01, SHC and Gears Thank this.
  4. newly crusin

    newly crusin Medium Load Member

    That's what I like about Landstar,

    crusin
     
  5. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    The NON motivated ones ( regardless of where they work ) are the ones usually cryin about no $ and blaming everyone but themselves.
     
    BigJohn54, SHC, Gears and 1 other person Thank this.
  6. G/MAN

    G/MAN Road Train Member

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    There are a lot of owner operators who need someone to hold their hand like they were a company driver. There are some carriers who will do that and assign them a dispatcher. What so many don't realize is that when you are an owner operator you are an independent businessman. For the most part, it is up to you to decide what you haul, where you go and the rate, unless you agree to haul for a fixed rate per mile. Whether someone leases to Landstar or another agent based carrier, your success or failure is entirely in your own hands. Unless you are a self starter you need to not buy a truck at all and stay a company driver, although in order to be successful as a company driver will also require some self motivation.

    In this business you need to follow the freight, no matter where that takes you. I have known of drivers and owner operators who refuse to go to certain areas and yet complain because they are either not making any money or there isn't any decent paying freight. Personally, I will go to where the better rates and availability of freight takes me. I have my preferences and don't care to go to certain areas of the country, but will if the rate dictates that I go. In other words, if the rate is high enough I will take a load going to some of those bad areas.
     
    josh.c and grizzly Thank this.
  7. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    Thats just good Business sense.

    See many go to Florida with BIG $ rates then sit for a week trying to get same rate out of Florida , instead of taking less to relocate to better freight $ areas.
     
  8. G/MAN

    G/MAN Road Train Member

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    I won't sit for more than a day unless I am working on something that pays pretty well or putting some LTL's together. It is less costly to deadhead out of a bad area rather than sit for several days with nothing on the truck. Sitting doesn't make you any money. On the other hand, I won't put something on the truck just to have freight on the truck. If I can't make a profit on a load I don't see the need to put it on the truck. I would rather deadhead. If you get enough going in to deadhead out of a bad area, it is better to deadhead out than sit for days.
     
  9. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    I agree 100% and I operate in the same manner and always have
     
  10. ljbigtrucks

    ljbigtrucks Bobtail Member

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    Lawrenceville,Ga
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    Are you lease with Landstar now? And where did you get your truck from?


     
  11. 123456

    123456 Road Train Member

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    These post are dated, that is from 11 months ago.

    Just so you are aware.......
     
    BigJohn54 and SHC Thank this.
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