Landstar

Especially if it is a Freightliner. Their used truck warranty is absolutely worthless. Don't take my word for it. Check Ripoffreport.com or google it. Call OOIDA, they will tell you the same thing. If you buy a used Freightliner consider it out of warranty.

 

I am glad that you are taking your time. There is no reason you can't buy an older truck and get several years and hundreds of thousands of miles out of it as long as you check it out. It is much easier to make money when you have a cheap payment than one that is large. When you have a cheap payment you can afford to sit for a day or so to find a good paying load. When you have a big payment there is a tendency to run regardless of the rate. That is how so many owner operators lose their shirt.

 

Good point. I am currently employed so I'm not in a hurry. I have taken 2 pay cuts in two years but better then nothing.... while I line things up.

I have paid everything I own off expect my house. So home bills will be easy cause its only what we use the rest is going to the truck to pay it off then MAYBE if I want I can move up. If this one does the job it will be a keeper till it cant.
Since my last major fail in the trucking business I have read, learned, experienced, driven a lot. So I feel much better this time around.

All the research I have done has lead me to believe a 05-08 columbia with less then 500k miles with a inter lock, 10-13-18 speed, 3.55 gears, cummings or d60 or cat3406 with min 450hp is what I want and need to get me 6.5 mpg. Condo is a plus but not a must (I been in a single flat top for two years and its fine by me), also 2 150 gallon tanks is a plus, 22.5 wheels is a plus, aluminum wheels is a plus.....but all the rest is things I can deal with.
I'm trying to keep it around 27-28. So My payment will be close to 750 a month. This will help easy my mind every month. Things I have made a list of that I ask everyone I speak to about a truck are also helpful.
Has the truck been dyno'ed?
Have you done a recent oil sample?
That's tires thread dept?
Do you have previous service receipts?
What does the truck need?
Has it been recently dot'ed?
What the condition of the brakes?
Does it have a interlock on the diff?
Does the AC blow cold? Does the heater work?
Those are some of the things I ask over the ph. Once there in person I can see things in person and can make my own op. Then off to inspection.

 

It sounds like you have given a lot of thought to what you want. I am glad to see that you want to keep your payment to around $750/month. That should be a very manageable payment. If you want to take a few days off you can afford it with that payment. If rates are too low then you can afford to sit rather than take something that may not even cover your fuel costs.

 

Exactly what I am planing on doing and if things really get bad I will get a regular job and just let it sit and make the payments. This will be the only vechical payment I will have.

Preparing for the WORST and hoping for the best....

Back on topic: I called LS again today and got a hold of the girl working my file and she said I'll get back to me. Once I told her I haven't even got a truck yet you could hear it in her voice. Kinda like "wtf did you apply for then" LOL . I explained I have a job and make decent money. I just want more money and rather work 3 weeks and one week off. And I'm not buying a truck...again..until I have good work for it. Plus I need to turn in my two week notice so my dac don't get hammered as a unhireable. Then a loan takes a few days after I find a truck that passes my inspections. SO I just want to know if I should get the ball rolling or move now cause IM not able to work there. So...She said..... I'll get back to you....Now I wait.

 

my late husband an i were with inway for 20 years, when we leased on it was independent frightway's the sister companies were poole, ranger ligon, gimini and c&h, they were owned inway was at one time old spector red ball, jeff crowe owns inway, my husband and i were one of the first inway A&E,

 

trustinfuture , we were with inway for 20 years and made excellent money i dont know where you get the idea that landstar is scam , what on of the companies were you with , you pick you loads and if they weigh more than the agent quoted you take them back and get them legal any driver knows that, all the agent has to go on is the information the customer gives them, we were an a&e team and did heavy haul. we went to pick up a crane boom that the customer made up the deminsions on and gave to the agent for the permits, the load didnt move untill everything was legal
i never excepted included in the rate tarp charges or included in the rate anything as for tolls food and stuff like that you pay that out of you advance unless you have a toll card, you dont work for landstar you are an independent contractor, you pay them 25% to find you loads. and once they tell you a rate the agent cant change it if they offer you 5.000.00 for a load going 2500 miles that is what you are going to get minus the deductions there are some exceptions, we hauled an armed guard load from tn to az with a stop in little rock we were going to safe haven in little rock but mitmac said no we had to go to az them back to little rock, the armed guards where for the piece that went to az so the 5285.00 load went to 10,578. we never hauled for less than 1.36 a mile gross and that was on LTL's if we had to tarp there had to be a tarp charge and it had to be 100% to the truck

 

we worked mainly with pepper in okc chris in san antonio, mark in las vegas and pearl in fontana

 

don't know anything of a credit score of 640 for hiring. but they told me they had a 3 dealers to pick from if i wanted to buy a truck. there first recommendation required a score of 500 for first time buyers.

they told me wednesday but called today and they are still waiting. so 10 days so far. 8 business days.

i hope they get what they need real quuickly. as i have a speeding ticket in wyoming due on monday. and 2 days ago was a texas level 2 warning for mudflaps and reflective tape on the tractor cab.

i was squeaky clean but soon but i won't be.
in texas, they are pulling trucks over when they are bored. you better have reflective tape on the upper rear corners of your tractor and mud flaps better not be flapping in the wind. they will also accuse you of lights not working. i seen a few texas licensed truckswith reflective tape. they got the same bullcrap inspection.

this is the highwy patrol and NOT dot. and they AREN'T pulling you over for a driving infraction. they are pulling you over becuase they are bored.

 

My wife and I are leased with Landstar and love it. I am new to the trucking industry and this is my first driving job. She has been with Landstar for 3 years now and says she will never quit.

Landstar is not for everyone there are some that are not motivated within. To answer your question about miles per week is really up to you. The wife and I are doing anywhere between 16,000 and 20,000 miles a month. This just depends on what we want to do!

Directions... if the agent gives them to you are usually spot on, but will be whatever he is used too. We usually refine our route to get us there the best way possible.

Dispatch... There is no dispatcher, you book your own loads from the landstar load board.