The Do's and Don'ts at Landstar

You keep complaining about the price of elogs, so I assumed you had one. That's great you bought a trailer again. I can't see running a van here without having your own. If they didn't offer the rental for steps, I wouldn't have sold mine last year. I don't wear rose colored glasses, however I've done what you are saying is so easy, and doing it right isn't easy nor cheap. I personally see very little value in being the one truck authority holder, unless the plan is to expand. That is me. In 2006 I had 3 trucks, an o/o leased to me, and 6 trailers and brokerage authority as well. Let's just say life today is much less stressful. Vacations are vacations, I don't have to spend the morning dispatching instead of blasting through powder on the ski slope. I don't get the call from the BX where my driver locked his keys in the running truck and wants to know what I'm going to do about it. I don't have an IRP auditor telling me I believe you're being honest with your miles and fuel purchases, but you don't have odometer readings on you trip sheets, so here is an $8,000 fine. If I didn't believe you it would be a lot more!!! So go for it Mike, and if you make it to your audit, I'll write you a $20 comcheck. No it's not much, but it's a real deal that I'll pay off. If LS terminated me tomorrow, I'd probably reactivate my authority. But until something changes here, I don't see any value in it.

 

Off in the distance... a violin... why, it's landstar. Playing another of his same ol' tunes. Weeping. Gnashing of teeth. Hey! That violin's not supposed to be played like that! Landstar! You'll break that thing! Boooooiiiiiinnnnnnngggg.

 

Good Post...I have no choice Forty..Landstar is not what it used to be.They are in everyones truck.All we have to do is read the writing on the wall..We are closer than ever being a Werner and US Express than ever before.

My belief is this..If any of us can put up with L/S over the top ''rules'',we can make it with flying colors on our own..This is why i entertain and work towards my own AUTH...freedom freedom freedom..Not the money but this relentless attack we are under because L/S Corp are a bunch of Paranoid Skitzo's.We suffer because of this Mental Defect they have.

 

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

 

By the way Forty i got my trailer and i was told 8,900 for INS from a guy in Florida.I have to call him on Monday..I am thinking Spring time or earlier i will be pulling my very first load under my own AUTH..

 

You have to realize the whole industry is changing, not just LS. Look at our friend Bill, who's always bullish on trucking. His safety score is screwed right now, which is affecting his drivers ability to secure high paying freight. 5 years ago, none of that would have affected his customer base. Times they are a changing, and Landstar's "rules" change right with them, just like every other carrier. Your rules for your carrier, "yourself", will change too, or you'll pay the penalties.

 

I just checked Benton and Parker, my old insurance company (well they bought my old one), but they don't do NY.

 

I am brand new to the owner operating thing and was fortunate to be able to start out with Landstar. I've been at it for three months. I run a dry van and stay east of the Rockies as my truck is not California compliant. I picked up on the system quick and as of yet I have never had a problem finding freight out of any area for less than $1.80 gross. The norm is over $2.00 gross and i rarely deadhead over 100 miles. You can find good paying freight pretty much anywhere with this company but you definitely have to be willing to pick up the phone and send out some emails.

 

A thread! A thread! jd, you're at the perfect milestone to start a thread, how you transited to your own truck, background trucking, highlights and milestones so far. Expectations, how it's working with your family. What you've learned, wished you knew... etc.

A buddy moved over to LS (he already had a '96 Pete with 3406 Cat and his dad is a mechanic) after we got laid off from a USPS contractor. He's pretty stretched-out with long days and not enough sleep but gets home every weekend (church on Sunday--not my proverbial cup but his) and all new rubber including the low-resistance Bridgestones on his (own) trailer. He bought the trailer a while back and has two (2) years in with LS now.

 

Jrdilley...

When you say 1.80 gross, does that include fsc?

What would be the final per mile to the truck b4 fuel etc.After Landstar takes their cut?