The ugly truth about Landstar

Sweets,when I look in the mirror,I see a gorgeous hardworking business owner...and you?
I NEVA cry,but I do tend to take up for the guys that have been screwed like the ORIGINAL Post depicts ...
Unfortunately you have chosen to "just blame the driver" ...guess that make YOU feel better,aay?
I've been an incorporated business since 1987.... And you?
Please be careful stepping down off that mighty soapbox it gets a lil tricky on the way down neighbor....
Happy Trails ...wink wink

 

You're the one that said you were always crying, but yeah you got me. I just started driving last month. I didn't own a trucking company, and the company drivers and o/o didn't work for me. I didn't own a brokerage either, nor was I an independent recruiter for 16+ trucking companies.

Of course I blame the driver, there is no one else to blame at Landstar. It's just like having your authority in that regard. I want everyone to succeed in this business, which is why I try to share as much knowledge as possible. BTW, I had my authority and paid for two trucks when you were learning to alley dock on truck driving school.

 

I love Sundays,don't you?ROFF,LMAO...
No sweets, I Neva said I was crying...the original post is what we are ALL referring to...I agree with him that you should be making $from day one,and YOU have somewhat of a different o p I n I o n....
And bc I agree with the young lad,you jump on the proverbial band wagon,preaching how "it must be his fault" He didn't sign up to OWN the business,(L.S.)they told him one thing, and it wasnt the end result. they need to cowboy up,don't ya think?
Please don't make me say things like I've got more miles in reverse than you do in forward ....blah blah blah....LOL
Sunshine...I am a business owner that has been in his shoes once in my life,and I Do believe that what he says can POSSIBLY be true...Now if that makes you sad and upset to the point that you are wearing a frown today,well I'm very sorry,but you're going to have to just turn that Lil frown upside down and just deal with it....

Now what this really smells like is that you have quite the investment in his testimony and you are very defensive...
Fortunately this is an open forum and he has the right to speak his mind on HIS experiences and endeavors ...
And we are ALL the better for it...Now you may continue to try and convince someone else...
good day,and that is all...

 

LOL I heard somewhere that company drivers get paid for orientation maybe that's where she should base her next ten years with LMAO! Microwave children

 

I am trying to put all this into perspective using dollars and cents.......

What is the money scale?

In a years time, a new O/O with learning the ropes and using the load board can net (after everything) what? .........$30K? , $25K?

And a respected seasoned veteran who uses the load board as a last resort can do what?............$75K ? ...or maybe more?

It seems like you have to get a list of agents you call everyday or they call you for the good stuff......and it takes time....

I am willing to give it time, perseverance, sweat, and all I have, etc... only to get better and better.....

of course I'd like to run 8 months out of the year and net $70K like some say on here....

I just can't seem to think that doing this all year and netting under $10k is happening......am I wrong?

 

I think in any situation I would expect to have a "learning curve", the time it takes to know how to do my job or to network or whatever it takes to become successful. Never in my life have I taken a job and "expected" to make just as much as employees that had been there for years. Much of the problem I see in this industry comes from drivers that are recruited and "expect" to make a ton of money from day one, without putting in their dues.

Regarding the "suits", I think the same rule applies. Everyone is "making money", but how much you make will depend on how much you learn and contribute and modify your behavior to be more successful.

 

When he signed a contract,which I know he did...revenue should start very FIRST job...HE DOESNT OWN THE COMPANY,HES JUST RUNNING FOR THEM UNDER THEIR AUTHORITYI don't care who does what when or how...
Its just business...If you are doing business this way...I have several trucks,when can you start? As a business owner,I LOVE the way you think.in fact I'll give you $500.00 for every driver you can bring us that thinks JUST like you...I can keep raking it in while you KEEP paying your dues that you never owed....Come on man,wake up...I get the whole,get in line thing,but this "ain't personal,it's money making time" How much EXTRA revenue do you think is in escrow for this theory?
I'll be over here watching every penny that's owed to me,and you can just stay in that line of...watching,listening,learning...
I get what your saying,and respect that thought but at which point do you become grown up and take control of what some of these companies are doing to these drivers....
Sugar runs from there tongues til that first week,second week,third week,and them the driver asks what gives,and this is his answer.
"in time sonny boy,in time...okay...yes sir,BC U r such a huge company,I'll just keep working hard And when u decide that im good enough,I'll pay my truck note sir...thank you sir. Most of us have been at it too long for that nonsense and it seems the newbies are onto them too...hallelujah

 

We have 8000 drivers at any given time that make Landstar work for them. I personally know 2 that never leave FL. Their equipment is paid for and they work 0-3 days a week depending on the time of year. There are others that turn the southern terminals into "homeless" shelters as they have no life and live in their truck. Then you have the ones with new trucks that are home once a week to once per year. You do what you want here. You too can be one of us lazy, only driving 70-80,000 mile per year, netting at least a buck a mile if you work hard and remember its a business. Obviously some areas of the country are much easier to do this than others, but that is market based and has nothing to do with LS.

 

I never said that 70-80,000 miles a year was lazy.....

I am only trying to feel where the boundaries are between the most experienced and the newbie.....

Thank you for your response.....I believe you have answered it for me....

After doing a lot of reading on here....I was sorta getting the idea that some trucks were running year round and just breaking even with payments and nothing for their hard work....I am single and currently living in Florida....so running when I want, as hard or easy as I want... is looking good to me !

 

No offense, we call ourselves lazy when we run this way and there are a bunch of us. If you run all the time and have built up a little bit of repeat agents, there is no reason you can't net 2k per week after expenses even pulling van. What most detractors fail to figure out is that Landstar is co-op of owner operators and agents. Landstar, the company, is purely administrative. This is very different compared to most every other trucking company.