The ugly truth about Landstar

I ran for Landstar for 4 years.

Truth is it is a very good company to work with as an owner operator and probably the only one I would even think of recommending to another owner operator.

Main problem with Landstar is the large learning curve, nothing they can do will prepare you for that, you also need to have a head for business. If you expect someone to call you up and give you a great load going where you want and paying you a high rate, you are going to be sorely disappointed.

With Landstar you get out of it what you put into it, yes there is a bunch of junk freight on the load boards and if you take it and are unhappy with it then it is your fault, not landstar's. However if you put in the time, stare at the load board long enough and refresh it as often as you can you will eventually spot a really good load, be warned though if you even hesitate one second every other driver in the area will already be calling on that load, don't get discouraged if you miss that load. Just keep at it and you will get a load that pays what you need it to pay to run your business.

After awhile you will build relationships with different agents, to the point where they will look for your truck to be in the area before they post a good load to the load board and probably will call you before giving everyone else a shot. You will eventually even get to the point where you know what agents have freight in what areas. I personally would get loads to particular areas, and call agents that I knew would have loads there and alert them to when I would be arriving and available. My overall experience with landstar was a good one, and if I ever decided to become an owner operator again this is the only company I would work with again.

For now though, I prefer to let someone else worry about the truck repairs, fuel, etc.

 

All this talk of networking, proving yourself, etc.

Are you guys hauling freight, or selling Mary Kay cosmetics?

Reading through this thread, it sounds like Landstar has way too many drivers for the cheap freight that is available.

 

Sounds like you didn't get approved and are just bitter. Have you made one positive comment to this entire thread? You don't walk in day one on the job and get offered a promotion. This place is no different. Some agents will use you all day long, some won't. That's the glory of us all owning our own businesses. Me... I prefer to work with people who I know will do a good job and who I don't have to constantly babysit. You pick up on time, deliver on time and show up on the dock looking presentable so that my customers are impressed and I'm going to use you over and over. You make excuses and be late all the time, you can forget it. It's about providing service. We want customers coming back, not going elsewhere, therefore we strive to go the extra mile and only wish to use drivers who do as well.

 

If you were making so much money, why were fuel and repairs a problem?

 

I'm not buying into all the propaganda.

It sounds like a scam.

 

so what are you doing right now?
how is it working out?
maybe landstar would be a horrible idea for you.

 

Note the bold......Uh oh.....You just eliminated a lot of wannabee O/O's with that "list" of requirements.....You know how hard it is to be well.....Reliable and responsible these days......

 

You don't have lease on then...With them or anyone else.....Life is full of choices....You can choose or not choose....

 

You show that you're a FORMER driver...I guess you weren't cut out for trucking