Landstar

You should be issued a Comdata fuel card when you sign your lease during orientation. Landstar will load fuel advances on your card once you are loaded if you request it. At one time you could either receive your settlements on your fuel card or do direct deposit. If it were me I would probably have them put the settlement on your card and then you can transfer the money into a different account. as needed. You cannot load the card yourself so it would be better for you to leave at least some money on the fuel card so that you can get any fuel discounts they may offer.

 

ya thats my plan, just keep the bulk of money floating on my comdata card and transfer to my bank acct as needed. just wasnt sure if you can buy fuel right away and they will do a deduction from your settlment as other carriers do. or if you need funds avl before hand.

 

When you get your package with the permit folder and door signs, your comdata cards will be in it. There will be two, one for fuel and one for settlements. I threw the fuel card away, probably 10 years ago, and just use one. Up tp you if you want to use both. Activate them as soon as you can and you can load an advance on to it as soon as you get a Freight Bill number for your first load. Advances are about 30% of the gross freight bill, not the truck pay, but the gross pay. Which equals about half of the truck pay, on average.

 

To expand on Autocar's post, the settlement card works for fuel as well as settlements. There is no need for the fuel card if you're not an owner with a driver.
As soon as you get a trip number in the system, you can go to the money menu online and get an advance for fuel. I tend to not take my advance until I pick up the load, just in case it flops and cancels, as you'll be required to pay back that money immediately.

If you do have a load cancel once you get there, you need to ask for a Truck Ordered Not Used from your agent immediately. TONU. You won't get paid on the amount until the customer pays, but it never hurts. If you're going to deadhead a long ways to pick up the load, make sure the agent knows in advance that a $200 TONU won't cut it. Oh yeah, detention is better than layover as you get 100% of detention, and only your contracted amount of layover. You get layover immediately on your next check, but have to wait until the customer pays for detention.

 

In my best Larry The broke Cable Guy voice " That right thar is good stuuf and information If I say so myself"!!! We sure appreciate you helping us newbs out!! We would never get no where without ja!!!

I may sound like I'm joking but this is really good info. you have all my respect in the world helping us out!!

 

Trip advance is 100% of your surcharge plus 30% of the gross linehaul. On the TONU's, don't let an agent give some BS that his customer won't pay. That's not your problem. Tell them you will sue them AND their customer if they don't pay you. You won't likely get anything from their customer in court, but that customer will never use that agent again. Just be careful. Most agents are good folks. A few are downright scum.

Another tip. Any agent that won't email you confirmation, don't pull his freight. This is 2012. Anyone that can't send you an email is either a dinosaur or a crook. If you have nothing in writing, you have nothing.

 

yup I ran into a bco out of San Antonio and he gave me alot of good info and names of good agents, and said that exact same thing. GET AN EMAIL!!! he made that very clear and make sure it has the linehaul and fsc and any accesorals all listed seperatley, If a agent tries to hold out on you then dont touch the load, if a agent isnt willing to do that for you then screw em. he also told me what I could expect as far as freight to and from vegas saying loads out of vegas are always strong with decent rates so I feel confident that I will get off to a strong start. Thanks for all the info, its gonna help a ton.

 

Good Info VR!!

 

Alright people I would like some input. I was contacted by Landstar today that I was hired and that I needed to get my truck and get it inspected. My big question is should I stay as a company driver (making about 60k/yr with benefits) or should I go for it and try the o/o? It has been a dream of mine to become o/o and have been approved on truck and now that it coming together I am getting nervous that nothing will go right is this normal? All info will be greatly appreciated.

 

I was a company driver for 10 years until 2007 and something was always missing, I wasnt fulfilled with what I was doing or where I was going as a "company" man. I started my research and found out the ins and outs of buying a truck and getting my own insurance and base plates, and I had a couple of mentorrs that gave me alot of input at the company I wanted to sign on with. I got some money together and signed on and got running and I have to say the 1st day that I took my own truck to the company yard and swapped trailers and pulled out in my own truck with my 1st official load as a o/o I was freaked out, all of a sudden I realized that this is all mine, my bill, my breakdown, my tires, my fuel etc etc....

long story short I knew it was such a great feeling when dispatch called me the next day and wanted to know what I wanted to do, they didnt "tell" me what to do anymore because I called my own shots now and that had always been my dream. once u feel that and get that bug you will never adhere to the company line again, my biz failed when the economy tanked and i took my hits for the past few years but I always knew it was only temporary and knew I would return.

It starts with the dream and idea of something bigger than yourself, and it doesnt worry me now about the unknown, I welcome it, I want it. You have half the battle won when you are willing to take that step out of the nest and chase your dream. Good for you man, dont let anybody hold you back, even if you fail you will still win.