My journey at Landstar

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by runningman0661, Jul 7, 2021.

  1. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

    4,786
    13,019
    Mar 5, 2009
    Clover, South Carolina
    0
    For the previous four years I worked at FCC out of Fremont, Nebraska as a company driver and then as a LP driver. They were hands down the best company I ever had the pleasure to work at over the last 26 years. A good culture, great people, and well maintained equipment.

    I was on a mileage contract, and after paying my lease off and really drilling down into my business numbers, I realized that as much as I enjoyed being leased to FCC, I was having to run myself and my equipment into the ground to make the money I wanted to make. So I started looking into leasing onto a company with a percentage pay structure, and a self dispatch system.

    I had it narrowed down to a handful of companies, but decided on Landstar after doing my research, and talking to a few guys I know that have been leased on over here for several years.

    The hiring process here can take up to four to six weeks from the time you submit your application, but I had my ducks in a row and went to orientation three weeks after my application was submitted. I went to the two day orientation in Carnesville, Georgia in the last week of March. It’s a pretty fast paced two days, with a ton of information thrown at you. After completing orientation you call “ trailer utilization” and get on a waiting list for a trailer to be assigned to you, this can take up to 5-7 days. Doing my research before hand, this didn’t come as a surprise to me, but a few drivers thought a trailer would be waiting for them at the end of orientation, and were upset about this detail.

    Again, I thought outside of the box, and started calling agents with loads near my house with preloaded trailers, and asked if they would let me bobtail in and run with one of their loaded trailers without having an empty to drop. An agent had a preloaded trailer 16 miles from the house that she would let me run with down to the Florida panhandle, and use the trailer for a week to generate some revenue, if I brought the trailer back to the original shipper. That worked for me, and her, so it was a win win.
    The day I got back I found an SOS load (a breakdown) that needed to be rescued 35 miles from the house, so I went and grabbed that trailer and now had an “assigned” trailer.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

    4,786
    13,019
    Mar 5, 2009
    Clover, South Carolina
    0
    There is a learning curve coming to a self dispatch company, and I will be the first to admit I have made my share of mistakes over the last 3+ months, but I try and not repeat those mistakes and learn from them.
    My monthly numbers have improved each month in a positive direction so I must be doing something right. I have really been working on keeping my deadhead miles under 100 mile average for the week per load.

    Some weeks I work four out of seven days, and generate enough revenue to take the next three days off. I have stayed out and worked over the weekend and done really well.

    I love the freedom I have hear, I work when I want to, go home when I choose, and run where I want to run. I’m blessed to live in a good freight area (near Charlotte, NC) I could run Nc, Sc, Ga, Va, and Tn. and make good money, and be home every other day if I choose.

    Another note, when I paid my truck off at FCC ( 2016 Cascadia) it had 778,456 miles on it. I ran it over here for about a month, but had two oil samples come back showing excessive wear metals, and signs of liner wear. I started searching for a low mileage used truck, finding a low mileage used truck that isn’t over priced is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. After a ton of searching, I found a truck that met my needs and met my criteria. I sold my Freightliner to an independent dealer, even that was a weird experience, they never drove it, or even opened the hood. I pulled on the lot and they wrote me a check for more than I was expecting to get for it. Crazy times.

    I will try and post on this thread at least on a weekly basis to continue to share my experiences at Landstar.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2021
  4. dngrous_dime

    dngrous_dime Road Train Member

    3,145
    5,752
    Jan 28, 2014
    Lansing area, MI
    0
    Following. My app is in, and I'm getting a truck at the same time.
     
  5. JohnBoy

    JohnBoy Road Train Member

    9,652
    24,343
    Apr 24, 2009
    Lake Worth, FL.
    0
    Nothing but the best for you buddy!
     
  6. CorsairFanboy

    CorsairFanboy Medium Load Member

    529
    871
    Feb 19, 2018
    0
    What truck did you end up getting?
     
  7. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

    4,786
    13,019
    Mar 5, 2009
    Clover, South Carolina
    0
    A 2018 international LT with 324000 on the clock, the Cummins X15 efficiency engine, 10 speed manual. It came with a 1 year 100K mile warranty covering, engine, transmission, rear ends, and after treatment system. My average MPG is 8.2 hauling light and heavy loads. August 2nd I have an appointment at Pittsburgh power to have the diesel force cleaning, an overhead run, an ECM tune to add power but still keep decent fuel economy, and have the intake system checked for air leaks.
     
  8. CorsairFanboy

    CorsairFanboy Medium Load Member

    529
    871
    Feb 19, 2018
    0
    That is awesome. Sounds like a good deal. 8.2mpg is a great average imo.
     
  9. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

    4,786
    13,019
    Mar 5, 2009
    Clover, South Carolina
    0
    My Cascadia had a life time average of 7.1, so I feel like it’s a nice improvement, and after I’m done at Pittsburgh Power hopefully I can gain a few more tenths. The truck will run 85mph, but I usually just cruise along about 65-68mph.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2021
  10. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

    4,786
    13,019
    Mar 5, 2009
    Clover, South Carolina
    0
    Agents, for the most part I have found the majority of the agents I’ve dealt with have been fair and upstanding, but in three months have found several that are on my do not call list or my ignore list when they try and call me.

    IMO there are to many other available agents to deal with, so if an agent or agency lies to me, tries to pull one over on me, or changes the rate when you call about the load, I just move on.

    In orientation they try and lean you towards pulling what is called direct customer freight, but I have made my best money pulling non direc customer freight. I have already started to build some good relationships with a few agents I enjoy working with, and have several repeat agents that call me offering me loads I have done previously for them. I haul a lot of hazmat and tanker endorsement loads (liquid totes).

    I will admit, one thing that has surprised me is the number of foreign agents, but honestly some of my best loads have come from some of these agents. Again, don’t lie to me or BS me, and we’re good.
     
  11. Lonesome

    Lonesome Mr. Sarcasm

    10,158
    19,834
    Dec 15, 2007
    Northern Indiana
    0
    Following, good luck to ya!
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.