need info on Landstar

my buddy is leased on to them and he does not complain at all. it is all on your own though, he does it all. pleanty of home time. I get home 46 out of 52 weekends a year or more & sometimes during the week...and he is home more than me, not to mention he makes a little more. He runs irregular days though. If I could afford to be gone on weekends I would lease on to them. I've run with him a couple trips and he has a sweet deal with them.

 

What do yall think overall is better load options and money average....flat bed or reefer or van??

 

I drive C/D for a company that is 90% flat bed..and if you want to do flat bed, I recommending doing the same. You can contract with companies like Landstar for Van...but look at TMC, PGT, Crete, etc... that have big flat bed business if that is what you want.

What Brickman is talking about with paying more but has cheap freight...........
Flat bed pays more because of the tarping, but I only tarp about 25% of my loads. Companies like TMC pay a percentage for loads (26-28% is good starting), but 23% can still bring in a $900/week paycheck. A trip may only be 50 miiles, but % will pay you $3-400 for it...the opposite is, if it's cheap freight and 600 mile trip, it may pay the same. Flat bedding is usually done with construction equip/materials. If the freight is cheap (lumber), you don't get mouch..some loads, it wouldn't matter if they paid you 50%..if it's too cheap you still won't make much...

I personally don't like vans..they're like big wind socks to me. I like heavy and low loads (steel). I actually am home EVERY weekend. I live off the I-40 so I come through here a lot too and take my 10 hour here at home during the week now and then. Flat beds...you will work your tail off and max out your 7-day rule, that is why we are home all the time..that and the customers usually aren't around weekends themselves. Flat beds pays more...but you get less miles (2800 on a good week)...it all balances out Van/FB/Refer...it comes down to what industry are you into...???...drop & hook...construction sites...grocery stores...

Landstar is a good Van company and you can build relationships with certain carriers that will pay you very well for your time. If you want to O/O, I would highly recommend Landstar. My neighbor is leased on to them and loves it. He has been there almost 10 years now. If I wanted to drive Vans, I would go there. I have been with him when he cashed a $4200 check for ONE WEEK !!! no crap...couldn't believe it. He knew the shipper and they "spiffed" him because he does a great jobs and takes care of their property.

Landstar is good...

So if you go with them, just figure on Vans.

 

Im with Lanstar and pull a drop deck,you will diff. see more money on the platform side.I have thought that I would like to pull a van from time to time just to do something diff every no and then,but I can't work that cheap.Most van frieght I have seen on those boards are 1.15-1.50 if your using there trailer it is 33% of 98% so that leaves you at .74cpm-.97cpm.
You might luck out and find some higher every once and awhile.But there is no way a person can opperate that cheap.(I live in CA so this is what I have seen out there for van loads.)
Now platforms diff. story I stay at an average of 1.60pm-1.80pm after d/h to the truck.But I don't get to pickey of where I go.I fallow the money so to speak and generally im pre loaded on the day I p/u my load.
exmp.
Left cali 100 mile d/h to get loaded p/u load not great but gets out of cali 1.47 p/m to the truck (after landstar cut)going to Dallas with 20,000lbs.p/u on friday unload on tuesday(went home till sunday after loading.).Loaded on wed. in tx 124 miles away with 24,000lbs going to NC for 1.92 pm to the truck unloaded yesterday friday.Booked another load which is 165 miles away going to MI loads on monday 25,000 lbs at 1.98 p/m to the truck again after L/S get there cut.
So seeing that the only payment I have is my Step deck trailer @ $680 a month and the fact that I average 6- 6.5 on a reg. basis with my fuel im not duing to bad over here.
I stayout between 2-3 weeks at a time and go home for 7 days.And since coming over here in april had no less than a $16,000 dollars gross to the truck agian after the L/S cut and as high as $20,000 dollars and none of my loads have been over size loads everything has been legal loads.

 

Why are flatbed loads paying so much more than van stuff? I guess I should go buy a flatbed trailer now huh?

 

i guess i would like flat bedding, but i have zerio exp with it. much less a step deck...how long experience would i need b4 signing on to L/S??? thanks guys

oh, by the way, ive been hauling gas and diesel the last 5 years