Best Company to Lease My Truck on to

Stay away from the big carriers. Mercer, Schneider, all of them. Landstar is the Swift of Owner Op as well. They'll get you started, but don't get stuck in their system. It's set up so that the agents make more by farming their better paying loads into the DAT board and keeping a higher percentage.
If you have a few trucks, look for companies with a few trucks.
Landstar is supposedly the best paying for owner operators at 185k per year. Last year my gross was 308k, and it'll be 285k this year, leased on to a small reefer outfit.
Do not listen to any of us regarding who to go to. Make the calls, do the work, ask the questions, then research your final choices by seeing the positive and negative in these forums. Don't ever ask a trucker advice about your fleet. Most of them are truckers, and not business minded at all. Do your research. You're running a business, not picking curtains.

 

You’re not FOS. This is good advice. From what I hear, landstar takes, but they give as well with their programs. On a side note I thought you had an independent fleet on your own. Whatever works for you.

 

Mag would be great if it wasn't for their prohibited list.

 

I'm not going to lie. After 3 years of being in this business as a fleet owner I feel like I'm that crappie owner that hired crappie drivers. I stopped the business and let go of the bad drivers because they were wearing and damaging my equipment. My fault because all I wanted was a driver in the seats. I looked at Landstar and the agent thing is the reason why I didn't get with them. It sounded like you are at the mercy of these agents and could well end up getting crappie load or no loads at all.

 

It's tough to get started in long haul.

 

There is no best, there is what works for you. I am with landstar and people complain all the time but it works well for me.

 

With as low as landstarves standards are, I don’t think I’d want anyone that doesn’t qualify for them in anything I own to begin with

 

I know of a half a dozen people who went to Landstar when the oil field folded up.
Only 1 is still their and making a good living. He is home every weekend and has bought his second new truck in 4 years.
He has agents calling him by word of mouth because he gets the job done without problems and baby sitting.
Takes a takes pride in his appearance and his equipment.

 

I'll add this:
I run for an agent based system and also get some of my loads from internet Truckstop: As far as agents go: you've got to find 3 to maybe 4 who will stick by you. I know there are agents who won't call me because they know I don't run cheap, ever. I've dead headed over 800 miles to get back to one of my 3 agents loads.

 

What do you mean by this ?

 

I know someone who runs as many or maybe more deadhead miles than they do loaded miles ,

he makes good money .

Last week he ran 1900 deadhead and 1750 loaded .

those loaded miles payed really good .