Landstar Questions

Dont pee yourself driver......you will be ok, your coming on at a good time......

 

Rumor has it that the company store is adding Depends to the product line. So, if you pee yourself, whether being so happy like diesel dawg, or just old like me, the Star has you covered.

 

1.Hazmat end req'd(need to start). 2. Tank end needed to haul totes( 300gals or more each/1000gals or more total in haul. 3. TWIC needed to access port's/refineries. New hires also get an EBOR. Have some $$$ in reserve so you're not pressed to take loads just to keep $$$ flowing till you find your niche in the LS system.


Luck!

 

As a 10 year veteran let me keep it real.

The problem with landstar is what is best about landstar - finding your own freight. The problem is if you are solo is competing with the guy who has his wife sitting in front of the computer. You have to be really fast to get a great load if it comes on the board. Everyone will tell you establish relationships, etc. That is fine for some, I am not a butt kisser, a smoozer, or whatever so in 10 years I have yet to establish that "relationship." Problem is when you want a load out from an agent who had a load last week, they have nothing or it picks up friday - today is Weds lets say. Agents promise to put you on a list - they don't. They promise to call if something comes up - they don't. I have seen loads pop up on the board from an agent I just called and left my number with, I called them and the excuse is I was too busy. Truth is - they don't care if they put it on your truck, schneider, or Jose Trucking. So findiing loads is your biggest problem. Also there are loads we can't haul, I don't know why, I asked corporate, etc. and they have no answer. The brokerage side does have some crap, I have put our board next to theirs and yes, we get the better loads first. Brokerage has $1.49, $1.51 rates. So as I said crap. Interestingly you are giving up a lot to landstar. If you had your own authority and took the landstar load you would get a little less, but much more freedom to truly do what you want. So much of landstar freight today is CH Robinson or some other brokerage outfits loads. It doesn't seem like agents are really selling the landstar brand - it should be a premium brand over say a swift or schneider. It isn't.

Ok that was some bad, now for what is good: choosing your own freight. That is nice. Being home whenever and for however long you want is nice. It has spoiled me honestly.

Back to the bad. In the end you are playing a losing game. Reason being is IMO, there isn't enough money to be made with a van to pay yourself, save for retirement, put away money for repairs and your next truck, etc. These are all things as a company driver you would get, that at landstar you aren't. Plus you have the joy of paying for everything truck, tires, tolls, fuel, ez pass, pre pass, trip pack, etc. They nickel and dime you to death. Not to mention health insurance. I pay $348 a month. A lot of companies have much better rates even for owner ops. If you have a wife and can get on her policy that is great. Plate? $1600 at landstar - free a lot of places. Permits? $200. Again, free most places. It all adds up.

Also the EOBR IMO is a deal breaker. I would NEVER allow anyone to put a tracking device inside my truck! Be warned the trailers are being tracked. YOu stop for 10 mins and don't flag it? Log dept will send you a letter. How when it is under 15 mins. I don't know, they do it. This is the best reason to own your own trailer. We are professionals, they say we are the best in their recruiting. Than why treat us like criminals and ankle bracelet us?

I wouldn't trade the last 10 years for anything. I paid off my truck early, trailer early, etc., I don't want to scare anyone; but I don't know if you could do it today. I don't see the money in it. Rates are where they were in 2003. Fuel isn't. A steer tire through landstar costs $500 and change. That is a days pay. Short hauls used to pay $500 min, now they sometimes pay $450 or less BEFORE %. Inflation is running 10% and has for years and rates haven't matched that. Are some people here making great money, sure. You always have your top guys, bottom guys and everyone else will be average in the middle. I did some math and compared my first 5 years here when I was making great money with the last. Basically without going into all the numbers rates should be at minimum $3 a mile before landstar gets theirs. They aren't. Are some loads? Sure. But not all. When fuel is what it is going 150mi for a load is a big deal. Landstar of course doesn't pay empty miles. You give up a lot of $ for the freedom. Ulitimately you may not want to go to x, y, z but you have to anyway because that is all that pays so aren't you really a company driver? True independence would be your own authority, landstar though is the closest to that BUT again you give up a lot of revenue for that luxury. Remember people with authority can haul landstar freight too - and anyone elses.

Landstar has some decent loads the problem is they don't have anything out once you get there. Not any more anyway. I used to always pick up 50mi. away, now I often go 100 or 150mi to get the next one. I hear a lot of people on here say my truck is paid for, well so is mine BUT you still should get paid what you are worth. You still should be saving for retirement, the next truck, repairs, paying yourself, etc.

The other problem with landstar is they do NOT have your back. Remember that. You are not a partnership. They don't care about you, I honestly believe that. Sure they will pretend like they do, they don't. If someone calls in - always your fault for example. Just remember they aren't your friend, it is a business. Don't wear the hats, the t shirts, etc. They say they will invest in you if you invest in them, don't believe it. Just keep that in mind if you do buy a trailer. Where would you go with it if you had to leave landstar? Could you sell it? Same with buying pads, a dollie, ramp, etc. Oh yeah some loads want that stuff. I bought all that stuff and those loads used to pay. Now $2.31 a mile (BEFORE landstar's %) must have dollie, pallet jack, ramp, 150 pads, etc. and oh yeah drop the trailer for two days and pick it back up after it is loaded.

Remember that if you drive 200mi to get that great load and 10 mins from the shipper the agent calls and says not shipping - order isn't ready? You get $150.

Detention pay is good usually - but it can take 90 days to get it.

I know I sound negative and I always said I wouldn't be that guy who talks about how good it used to be, but it used to be so much better! Freight rates right now are just crap. This economy could be booming and it isn't. I don't want to get political, but you have to blame obama. In a speech in 2009 he said he wanted to own this economy, give me the chance to fix it he said. I just don't feel like rates are high enough. Everyone laughs at .92 per mile plus fuel, but I got to be honest I ran the numbers for my last 3 loads and that's .22 more per mile than I got. Am I picky? Yes. Because you have to be. Take a great paying load into CT or out to NM and nothing comes out of there usually so that great load isn't so great. When fuel was $1.50 that wasn't a big deal, at $4.10 it is huge.

AGAIN don't let this scare you! This is just reality. The money is still here in places. Be smart about where you go. Don't go into the NE, don't go into FL, I don't do the NW but I know people that can find freight out of there. Avoid TX in the winter. Midwest is good, Chicago is always good why I don't get - give those liberals credit for something.

If anyone from landstar is reading this you need to get on your agents. I don't think they have a clue what it costs to be out here. The rates need to come up. This good time of the year vs bad is BS. It costs me the same no matter what time of the year. I shouldn't have to take a bath for a few months. Also we need a minimum rate. Yes landstar competes with others, but so what. I see $1.27 loads out to CA all the time. This is insane. That is before the %. Someone is taking them too as I have called agents and have been told they get covered. Also landstar needs exclusive loads! So much of what we have now is somebody elses load. Agents will say, let me call and see if it is still available. That is not a good sign. Often when they do call, nope that load is covered. After 10 years I am sick of hearing that!

The most important thing to remember is it is a business and make decisions like it is one. It is fun to go here and there, but at the end of the day add up the numbers. I do like landstar, but I am not going to be one of these guys who makes it sound like the best place on earth because it just isn't. It is good, but I am sure other companies are too.

Oh and if you want to win a new truck in the giveaway kiss a lot of butt. It seems like every truck is won by the veteran driver who wears the shirts, everyone knows, etc. with 15 years experience. lol

God bless all you drivers and God bless Landstar.

Ok now let me have it. I have been online long enough to know I shouldn't have an opinion. lol

 

Very good description...I was leased to L S w/my own trailer...went back to my Own Authority....rates were too low....

 

Didn't own a shirt, but did have a couple unworn hats laying around at home, when we won the truck in 2003. Had been BCOs less than 4 years, at that time.
As to the rest, some I'll agree with, some I will not.

 

Thanks for this post....95% right on...I couldn't have said it any better...

 

You seem to have the wrong attitude and that in itself controls your altitude. It has nothing to do with kissing butt... zero. I have BCO's that call me just to BS and check on loads. I bought rounds down at BCO Days and donated $500 in prizes for the drawings just to say "thanks." I don't expect pats on the back for that, it was something we as an agency chose to do to give back to those who help us make a living. Why do I tell you this, because it has nothing to do with kissing butt. I've developed relationships with these people. They are my family. We may not be related by blood, but we're a team and I can't do my job without you. The way you reach out to help me is a direct reflection of how you are treated when you call us on the phone or see us in public. There's BCO's I hang out with when they are in town laying over or when they are off and want to go play a round of golf. I end this portion by re-iterating... Landstar is all about relationships, building, developing, maintaining. It's the same thing I do with our customers that results in us getting more freight or freight in the first place. Give it a try and don't look at it as "kissing butt." Look at it as building your business for your own success.

As far as people not calling you back. Sometimes we do get slammed but I always try to return phone calls. Sometimes it may be the next day. It's something they should be doing if they want to keep their credibility and improve their image. Your word is everything in this business.

Landstar Logistics was/is not allowed to use Landstar BCO's. This all stemmed from some sort lawsuit settlement because the logistics agents were different from Ranger/Inway at the time. It hurt us because we used Gemini agents to do a lot of our drayage at the time. It kept us from using them and Gemini eventually went by the wayside. I don't know specifics, but I do know this was prior to 10 years ago and the people involved may not even be here any more. It's one reason why their are no more Logistics agent contracts. We're all one now on the agent side.

This is something I personally think needs to be fixed. Wish there was something agents could do about it.

There are and they read this place almost daily, believe me... I've had multiple phone conversations with them. I'll be the first to tell you there are many things that need to be improved from the agent perspective. One is the quality of "agent" we're recruiting. This posting "ghost trucks" on the board to shark freight, double brokering agents direct customers, and not showing initiative to go out and get your own customers and instead copying and pasting crap off of other load boards needs to stop and stop NOW! It's severely damaging our reputation in the industry with customers. Unfortunately, money talks and these "agents" are producing revenue, though they lack the talent and drive to go out and get it themselves.

As far as minimum rates... It will never happen. You don't understand: A) Some of us have bills just like you and salaries to pay before we ever see a dime on top of it. We have to be competitive and in this day and age with so many companies going under and companies running illegally we simply can't compete, if we want to, we have to take what's offered. On top of that, you have freight forwarders who shop multiple Landstar agents and get different prices and these people will give them any price just to secure the freight, knowing all along they'll never find a truck for that. This damages our reputation as well. LS seems to be slowly but surely trying to put a stop to this.

Or you could try being a part of the safety culture here at Landstar. Get clean inspections, call in on Safety Thursday, go to the safety meetings... be part of the TEAM. The opportunity is there. Past that, it's just like the lottery. Names are drawn out of a hat and it's random. This year the guys had the choice of the number they wanted to choose and chose it. Comdata is giving away $1000 card loads... did you know that? Call in and listen to the auto-attendant for more information. Change your mentality and change your life.

Overall, good post... These are just my comments to your thoughts and I hope you take them as constructive. I wish you all the luck in the world here at Landstar. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than many places you could be, including unemployed.

 

Really great posts, and now im feeling myself like worthest guy in the world. Im working only with 3PL loads, but just belive me - i have no option, and when any customer calling i always trying to recieve the highest rate cause i know that BCO's will pass it through if it will be low, i hate give loads to carriers, despite there are a lot of good guys, but i always feeling myself safe if Our Guy moving freight, cause i know its our family guy and he is doing his job well! And after 1 year at LS i had only one case when customer told me that on pick up our driver walked with bottle of beer and in result we were late for delivery for 2 days and took for 10k less than we had to. But anyway i really like this company and mainly because of our team,you could belive me or not)))
Wishing our drivers The Safest Runs, The most expensive loads, and the most reliable agents, shippers, consignees and sure that your Diesel baby always soundds well!!!Only green traffic lights to you and to your trucks, good luck Guys!

 

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