Landstar vs Schneider Choice ( Comparison )

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Jar-Head, May 9, 2014.

  1. scarecrow56

    scarecrow56 Light Load Member

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    That's the beauty of Landstar in that You can run ANY year truck. They have a mandatory quarterly inspection to make sure your equipment is up to snuff. But you wont be turned down because your truck, which may be in perfect running order, is too old. Also, we have been there about 1 year now and we don't really have an agent in our pocket and we do just fine. What a breath of fresh air from coming over from 4 years at Panther Expedited!!! There you had to fight for just about everything and when you didn't want to do a load you got a call from the next guy up the line trying to coerce or down right threaten you into doing it.
     
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  3. scarecrow56

    scarecrow56 Light Load Member

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    It has been my experience when searching for a load that if I take the gross and multiply by .7 or 70% it will get you very close to the ballpark. If you have your own trlr it will be closer to 75%. But this formula wrks fairly well when seconds count as far as calling the agent. Then again if your looking at a load that's paying $3 or more its pretty much a no brainer. We see loads at over $4 quite often. They just don't go to the best places and then you have to think about getting out of there. All part of being a smart businessman or woman.
     
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  4. Jar-Head

    Jar-Head Road Train Member

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    The success and failure of a owner operator at any company including LS or SNI filling load boards can be attributed to the following

    1. Not knowing your Cost Per Mile ( CPM ) to operate .
    2. Not know your Return on Investment ( ROI ) on equipment etc .
    3. Not learning from mistakes as RC said . This is something that can be attributed to knowing freight markets , Freight trends , nitche markets , broker or agent relationships .
    4. Not controlling Controllable or variable expenses such as Fuel Cost , Fuel Taxes , Tire Wear , etc .
    5. Not negating a good freight commitment from a broker or agent .
    6. Not getting things in writing
    7. Not knowing your largest 2 costs to run the truck and ability to reduce or minimize those costs ( as covered in #4 above )
    8. How to buy fuel .. There is a science to it that some never grasp .

    there are other factors but these are some of the top ones as to why some fail in a run your own truck type model .
     
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  5. Jar-Head

    Jar-Head Road Train Member

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    Some folks never understand it's a business also , and never get the learning curve to converting to being a business owner .

    You can't just fuel up and drive 75 roll and go .. You have to be business minded to run a successful business .
     
  6. Jar-Head

    Jar-Head Road Train Member

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    SNI does not have a age requirement either I'm told
     
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  7. scarecrow56

    scarecrow56 Light Load Member

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    I agree and have been skunked on a few loads. However they only get to do it once to me and they go on my sh(t list. Also, you can report them to LS and if they get enough bad marks they will get terminated. Don't get me wrong. Im not trying to sway you 1 way or the other. I know nothing about SNI. All Im doing is to try to clarify. As far as dickering with agents you basically call them, they either have the load or not. If they do I always ask if they cant squeak anything else out of it and then decide if I want it. I book it. If I don't get load confirmation/ contract in 30 mins via email I call and tell them they have 15mins to get it to me or Im looking for another load.
     
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  8. Jar-Head

    Jar-Head Road Train Member

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    As far as the 90 day inspections SNI also has that requirement as does LS

    ive been told at LS the certified vendors try to find stuff wrong with your unit . Because if there is a problem LS don't pay for the inspection costs and the BCO must pay out of picket for both the inspection and repair ( which repair would be your anyway ) . ( I could have bad information but what I was told )


    Maybe a LS operator will chime in
     
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  9. GearWarrant

    GearWarrant Medium Load Member

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    Done - Hopefully it will get some great feedback.
     
  10. scarecrow56

    scarecrow56 Light Load Member

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    You were told correct. There are a lotta dirty dealing inspectors out there and they will try to cheat you. However if you look around you can find one or 2 that don't do that. I found a TA in Vero Beach, Fl. that does them and I also found 2 techs that I use exclusively. 1 works day and 1 at night. I know them by name and request them and only them. TA doesn't have a problem with this as their techs are paid piece work. I have had a tech find a minor thing wrong and told me "just fix that" and passed the truck. I had just had the eng rebuilt and they didn't plug the horn all the way in. Another might have made a big deal of this. I also got an insp. done at other TA locations (I was at LS once before for about 6 months) and they let me fix minor things and then passed. If you fail, you have to pay the insp.
     
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  11. scarecrow56

    scarecrow56 Light Load Member

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    Going back to the truck age thing. There's a guy here that has a Marmon! And another that has a White! Both Marmon and White went out of business back in the 70's or 80's I think. I was talking to a Prime driver and he told me my 2005 century was too old to work there. It had to be 5 yrs or newer. That pretty much means you will NEVER pay off your truck. Soon as its paid you have to by another. Interesting thing is that a lotta those guys are lease purchasing from Prime. This seems like a win for Prime. I see a lotta guys saying that once they pay off their truck they need to buy a new one for the tax write off. This doesn't make good business sense to me. Just run less miles. Its easier on you and your truck. I know this isn't really on topic but it does go back to what you were saying about business sense.
    Another thing you mentioned is SNL gives an interest free loan to fix your truck. This is awesome! That's what the rich do! Use other peoples money to make theirs. LS will lend you money but at 18%.
     
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