Landstar Questions

That video was great, iam still laughing

 

Did you pull van or flat? What kind of miles did you average per week? Also what was your average mileage rate per mile or gross for the year? Thanks for the information.

 

Wasn't it?

But reality is setting in. Landstar has been trying to force its drivers to haul freight at a historic low.

It's allowing its agents to keep higher profits in the slow economy.

I can understand how Landstar Drivers are feeling the crunch right now.

It's a vicious cycle.

Landstar has to allow its agents to withhold more monies per load now in order to keep them and keep their profits up.

But the drivers should dictate the rates for a Company that has no Company Drivers to compete with.

Landstar uses brokered trucks to compete as the Company Driver. Right now the Landstar BCO rates don’t differ too much from the Brokered truck’s rates.

So if a BCO won’t haul it, a Brokered truck will.

Landstar has taken full advantage of this theory this winter. Problem is, BCO’s can’t keep regular maintenance on their trucks.

If you haul heavy for cheap it will cost you more in the long run in fuel and maintenance. There’s no way around it.

Don't haul heavy for cheap and don't haul cheap.

I made a call and right now Mercer is offering more on the FSC than Landstar is.

Crazy.


As for the load alerts, they are a joke. I set mine for $2.50 per mile. Cause when I set it at $2.00 per mile, all I ever got were calls for around $2.00 a mile.

I’ve been at home for 10 of the last 11 weeks. If I were out hauling heavy for cheap my truck wouldn’t be ready for when the freight picks up. I just wouldn’t have built up the monies to perform the needed preventive maintenance needed to keep my truck running for me. Not running on the edge for someone else.

That’s the plan LS has, is use others trucks and when they go under hire someone else with another truck, until it doesn’t work……Then hire someone else…..with another truck…..

One has to play the game like it’s life or death. You wouldn’t cut your own throat would you?

Then why haul for cheap.

Save your money when times are good for times like now.

No one and I mean no one is going to watch out for you.

 

I've talk to a friend of mine whos been with Landstar for 4 months and he says the flatbed money is good but he seems to be under the opinion that he has to stay out a few weeks at a time to make money! I dont buy it i think it just bad freight booking!

 

I think it did take about 2 weeks to lease on. I have been a Landstar BCO since 2001. Most of the loads are posted on the internet (not all of the loads). Building relationship with Landstar agents is ultimately important because some of them have very good freight that never is posted. Knowing who to call means everything. All freight has slowed down lately, but I have some buds who pull vans, they seem to be taking the biggest hit. Dry box pays the least of any freight. To answer your question: If you pull their dry box, they pay 67% of 98% (2% pays the cargo insurance). If you have your own trailer it pays 75% of 98%. I never could figure out why anyone would want to pull a company trailer.

 

It took me almost three months to get on. But I heard that we are hurting for drivers right now. So you might be able to get on in two weeks.
They told me about a month. But I drove for four companies before I got on and they had to check all the dates and what not.

Yeah I heard that they are hurting for drivers, especially Van drivers.
I have three buddies that just switched companies. They pulled Vans for LS. Trucks were paid and one has his own trailer. They weren’t happy with the money or the Agents.Bad Agents and no support from Landstar were their main reasons for quitting.

No one will get loads for you. You get everything off of the website on your own.

If you don’t want to deal with rogue agents then you might want to think twice. It’ll take you over a year to find enough good agents to deal with. Maybe sooner if you’re willing to haul cheap freight.

67% of %98 is just above a great company drivers pay right now. Most Van loads are paying winter rates like normal. And at less than $1.00 per mile that gives you .65 cents not subtracting your cost for fuel and running expenses.

I do have a friend who pulls vans out of Cali and he does OK. But he has to wait days to get home and get out. He lives near Arizona because his mortgage is low. But AZ doesn’t get him loaded very quickly.

If you have the Flat or Step experience and gear I’d go that route. But if you don’t then it’s a little tough right now according to my buddies.

 

Right!.....

 

I got a guy trying to get me on with landstar promising $1.30 average w/van, I know to take everything with a grain of salt but I guess that might be a stretch, I am a flatbedder anyway, now that I am older, I should say drop decker

 

$1.30 would be a great rate right now. But I haven't seen it on the Van side for months.