Landstar Questions

well i have to admit we noticed some of the charges... i'm sure there are more to be found yet. One thing that really bothers me is having to pay 1.75 to get my settlement check. thats just crazy. we also aren't too crazy have pre-pass. we just don't really care for it and it's required to have... at our expense of course. Does anyone know if they ever drop the % they take? I would also be interested in finding out about any hidden fees they didn't tell about.

 

there's no longivity or saftey incentives but if you screw up then you get back charged.i know a guy that hit a crossing arm at jax port with a wide load they charged him $2800 we thought we had $1000 deductable haven't figured that one out yet.i'm looking at my statement for this week $1.75 direct deposit fee,another $1 direct deposit fee $1.75 to load advance,$2 to scan bills $3.69 load alert fee not required, but needed(got to be super quick to get call in to have chance to get load ) $2.50 pre pass $18.99unladen liability $35.38 occuptional injury insurance,i have my own tag theirs was $1600 a year,$87 a week,just got a letter about the new permits for each state trashed it so i don,t remember how muchthat was.also i recently took a load from a agent(broker) got there to load bout a hour later,found out the rest of the deal bout the load and i wouldn't take the load,agent(broker)called corporate they in turned called me and threatened me with a service failure.several of those you're gone.if you break down on load,you pay to get delivered most times

 

Thanks for the break down on the fees. Just off the top of my head I see about $70 worth already. Ya know sometime a good deal isn't so good... But the only way I was going to find out was by asking around. I've found most Bco to be happy at landstar but Maybe they just like to give all the money back in charge backs and in the %. Boy there freedom sure has a price tag on it. As for me I can't say weather I will go with ls or not have alot of thinking to do.

 

For me...whatever they want to charge for the conveniences are fine by me. First off, they are ALL a write off, secondly, if I was COMPLETELY on my own, IE own Authority, I would have all of these expenses anyway so honestly, they are just a cost of doing business. I will welcome these and ANY fees with open arms at Landstar.

 

Thier fees, are your fees. If you don't take a trip advance you don't have a fee. If you keep your truck in order you don't have a break down.
$2.50 for the Pre Pass is great. With Landstars safety rating I'm getting pulled into a scale about once every 3 days. That's time and fuel saved. Not to mention being scrutinized by the D.O.T.

They tell you about all the fees in orientation. You can provide your own Bobtail insurance and not get charged. You can mail in your loads and not get charged.

I have friends that run thier own Authurity and register thier truck with Landstar. But on some of the none Landstar loads that they've taken, they haven't gotten paid for them in over three months.

I haven't stopped running since I've been with Landstar. If I'm at home it's because i want to be there. Of course I'm not making money when I'm at home but that's my choice.

I carry six tarps with me and will take any Stepdeck or Flatbed load that will fit on my Step. I'll tarp any thing that pays me to tarp. So far I've gotten $200 three times and $100 three times. So in 2.5 months I've had to tarp 6 times. My loads average in at 23,000. I make sure I don't take a load without the FSC. If an agent won't give you the FSC, call Customer service and they'll get it for you. It's 100% FSC to the truck.

I've found that a lot of the Flat and Step BCO's llike to be home every week. And they don't like to tarp. Makes it better for me in my opinion.

I will admit that I don't know how the Van drivers make it pulling less that $2.00 per mile loads.

I get the 63% of 98% PLUS an additional 8% for my trailer. So it's 71% they and the agent and broker split the rest.

Get a truck with a low monthly payment, then Fuel will be your highest cost. Mine is just over $900.

I can go home anytime and then do one load to the west or east coast and just about make my payment.

I'd like to have a new Pete but untill I get to know more agents I'll drive my FrieghtShaka.

In orientation they told me that about 25 percent of Landstar's loads never make it to the load board. Agents have drivers that the like, (For whatever reason) and can trust so they give them the load first. It's no secret.

The agents are independant contractors just like the BCO's. The system tends to roll in the direction that makes Landstar the most money. The driver is typically on the bottom of the totom pole (SP).

Most other companies typically charge alot more than Landstar. That's why I don't complain about it. I've paid way higher prices to drive my truck.

Just like any other company, you can work you way up to higher paying loads. Why should I make more than a driver that has been with Landstar for 15 plus years or whatever.

If that 15 year landstar Vet doesn't want a load then I can take it for the same price. He just gets first choice of some loads over me.

If you want to work and work hard for yourself, then you can make money with Landstar.

 

well like i said there's good and bad everywhere you go. I really don't like the fact of having to pay to get a card loaded so I can get paid. As far as the prepass thing I figure I my truck is legal and my log book is up to snuff why should I worry about the D.O.T. Right now it seem like alot to think about.

 

well like i said there's good and bad everywhere you go. I really don't like the fact of having to pay to get a card loaded so I can get paid. As far as the prepass thing I figure I my truck is legal and my log book is up to snuff why should I worry about the D.O.T. Right now it seem like alot to think about.
My tractor and trailer payment added together still isn't close to $1000.00 so making that payment isn't real hard. It that dam fuel bill that will make me cry every month

 

The other day when we were in there they told us that prepass was a requirement. They didn't mention anything about .90 a hit up to 3 hits a day and after 3 hits it's free. I would really like to know what is the real truth here because we keep getting mixed reports from LS and people that have been leased to them. Even the LS reps can't give us the same answer depending on who we are talking to. I understand that there are fees to everything but they seem to have so many of them that nickel and dime a person.