New Landstar BCO

Glad to here Landstar is working out for you. I also am a BCO and have been with Landstar a total of 8 years but not consecutive. Right now I am waiting to get assigned a Van trailer because I did a tow a way and Landstar likes to reassign their trailers if they sit too long. So then you wait sometimes. I think your referring to CABS class which is a safety like refresher course. You have met some of the gravy runners at Landstar, those BCO's who have managed to find a niche and make some good money. That is what many want, its consistent, pays well and becomes a familiar route. A much more comfortable position to be in as a driver. However, I don't see much of that anymore. I too am working the load board and don't really work any particular lane. I go where freight pay well and it has good out bound freight. I stay with Landstar for the freedom of running how I like to run. I consider myself semi retired (pardon the pun). So running my tail off is not in my DNA anymore. I was attracted to Landstar's believe you run less for more and not more for less. I have been advised several times not to obtain my own authority as it just creates at financial mess for you. Having to wait to get paid sometimes over 90 days and doing your own regulatory paper work just is not worth it. Although I think Landstar could pay BCO's a bit more then they do. Some old timers actually do a lot better on their percentage. Its why they can make really good money. Landstar is not a perfect company, it has its share of turnover and complaints. For some the required EOBR is too much for some and Landstar really harps on safety with 180 day safety inspection and refresh courses like CABS. I stay with it because of being able to run at my will not at some dispatchers. I don't plan to stay in trucking too much longer. Increased costs stagnant rates and more regulations simply have made me re think this profession. I've been driving since 1989 and am basically tired of the road. Its all the same and yet changing for the worse. Good luck on your Landstar career and maybe see you on the road someday. Drive safe!

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am thinking, seriously, about joining. I want to work smarter not harder. I really like the idea of picking my own freight from the load board. Could you tell me how difficult it is to get started and used to the load boards. I have always had a dispatcher and am a little concerned about not making enough during my first few weeks. Thanks in advance.

 

I will be honest with you about Landstar. Its not all roses to have a load board to work off of. Just like any load board you have good loads and you have terrible loads.
For myself I work the Van loads and we all know everybody does van freight these days. Its one of the cheapest ways to get into trucking and frankly even a company like Landstar has trouble getting good van freight. The most successful Landstar BCO's are either running a drop deck, oversize, or specialized. If your into one of those you will have better luck making money. If you just doing van freight your going to find Landstar a challenge. The load board has a lot of good tools to help you but it really depends on where you want to run and how often you want to go home. I can tell you their are new BCO's who get into dead areas where out bound freight is weak and sit for days. Their are BCO's who simply understand that freight in does not always mean freight out. You can reduce your deadhead and get better loads if your willing to stay out longer. For example if you live around Texas you could easily run van freight within Texas as much as you want and it all pays well. If however you take a load to Texas and want to get out that's another story. You can find horror stories about Landstar as well as good stories about them. Dispatching yourself means planning yourself and I can tell you sometimes you will find yourself doing more sitting searching for a load then you might want. Especially in van freight. I also came to Landstar from a big company who I started with as a company driver then switched to a owner operator status but always remained in a forced dispatch. When I came to Landstar they were still focused on phones, beepers and having the BCO make lot's of calls to agents. Now the internet had given the BCO a better view of loads available but still the good loads many times will never hit the load board. Finding agents that have the freight you want is still the best way to success. I think you would find that if you ask any BCO currently with Landstar about the load board. They would tell you that half of the stuff on the board is junk, another 1/4 of it is good paying but goes to dead out bound freight areas and another 1/4 is actually freight you want to haul. Landstar will brag that there is hundreds of loads everyday on the load board which is true. But what they don't tell you is that a lot of it is double brokered, cheap and heavy, and many times the same load is posted several times by different agents. See even agents can have a hard time finding loads to make money on. Hope I don't sound too negative, but I think its better to let you know the pitfalls to a non forced dispatch system rather then have you find out for yourself. Good luck to you.

 

i would have to agree . The most successful BCO is the one who uses the tools the best. I think many new BCO's lack the ability to reach out to their advisor or other support people for help. Landstar is not a company that bugs you or actively monitors you. If your having problems you will need to ask questions and ask for help. Obviously this is a company were you have the most influence on succeeding or failing.

 

Thank you. You don't sound negative, but honest. I am new to owner op and am trying to find the best place for me. I appreciate you input.

 

What is a BCO?

 

Landstar fancy name for O/O.

Business Capacity Owner