Frequently Asked Questions by Prospective BCO's

There are several excellent threads with many pages of information on becoming a Landstar BCO with input both from current and former BCO's. I am very appreciative of everyone who participates and gives unbiased information. I know I have personally learned a lot of things I didn't know and I can only imagine the same can be said for many others who peruse these forums. It has come to my attention that the amount of posts we've made could potentially make it very difficult for people looking for specific information to navigate the numerous pages of posts and comments in an attempt to find the answers they seek. With that in mind, I decided to create this thread to provide a single source for the best possible answers to these questions.

In the interest of keeping this thread free from clutter and out of simple respect, PLEASE DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS OR POST REPLIES TO THIS THREAD!

If you have a question or comment specific to Landstar and/or the BCO's, please create a new topic or post a reply to any of the other threads we have and once the question is answered, I will copy the question AND best possible answer and post it in this thread with credit to the appropriate people who provided the question and answer. I will do my best to keep this thread updated weekly with updated information as it becomes available.

 

1. What does the term 'BCO' stand for?
   
   Answer: Business Capacity Owner​
2. What is a Business Capacity Owner (BCO)?
   
   Answer: A "Business Capacity Owner" or BCO better reflects the skill set of Landstar's independent owner/operators. Owner-operators have dispatchers. But BCOs are dispatchers. You select the freight. You set your schedule. You decide on home time.​
3. How's the Pay? What do you make per mile?
   
   Answer: What you make is entirely up to you. As it says above, YOU are your dispatcher, load planner, billing clerk, etc. (Thanks Fortycalglock, G/MAN, etc.)
   
   Driver Revenue - Landstar's current Percentage Pay is as follows:
   
   Tractor-only: 65% of freight revenue.
   Tractor-trailer: between 72% and 75% of freight revenue, depending on trailer type.
   Straight trucks and Sprinters (Expedited): 62% of freight revenue.
   100% of fuel surcharges, tarping, and most accessorials goes right back to you.​
4. What about all these deductions everyone talks about? Does Landstar really nickel and dime you to death?
   
   Answer: The deductions are as follows; whether they nickel and dime you to death is a matter of opinion. (Thanks Fortycalglock)
   
   Weekly:
   
   Unladen Liability - $19.45
   Load Alerts - $3.69
   Prepass - $2.50
   ACC/OCC - $31.38
   
   Yearly:
   
   Permits - $200.00
   Standard Plate - $1600.00
   ​
5. What's the cost if you choose to rent a trailer from Landstar?
   
   Answer: The current weekly trailer rental rates are as follows:
   - Van - TBA
   - Flatbed - $150.00
   - Stepdeck - $170.00
   ​
6. Does Landstar provide health insurance, retirement, 401k or other benefits?
   
   Answer: No. As a BCO/Agent, you're an independent contractor, not an employee of Landstar and therefore do not receive benefits.​
7. What is the LCAPP Program?
   
   
   Pay less for tires, fuel and more through the Landstar Contractors' Advantage Purchasing Program (LCAPP®).
   
   National account tire pricing on the brands you know and like: Bridgestone, Michelin, Yokohama, Goodyear, Continental/General, Kelly and Dunlop.
   Cash rebates on new and used trucks.
   Factory-direct pricing on trailers.
   Discounts on parts and service from OEM truck dealers.​
8. What's your home time like?
   
   Answer: That's totally up to you. As a BCO, you decide how often your home and how long you stay out on the road.​
9. What are the minimum requirements to lease on?
   
   Answer: You can find the minimum requirements for leasing onto Landstar in the thread below.
   http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...r/159666-info-on-becoming-a-landstar-bco.html​
10. I applied 3 weeks ago and haven't heard anything...has my application been rejected?
    
    Answer: Not necessarily. Other O/O's have reported it taking as long as 4-5 weeks to get approved and on board with Landstar. Keep your head up, maintain your composure, and keep on them. Make sure before you apply that you have all of your ducks in a row so that no surprises come up and cause delays.​
11. So bottom line, what can I expect if I become a Landstar BCO?
    
    Answer: The best answer to this comes from fellow forum member Fortycalglock on page 13 of the thread linked below.
    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-trucking-company-here/45500-landstar-13.html​