Landstar question

nice!

my boss is thinkin of gettin his own numbers... it'd be nice not to be tethered to landstar's board... there are other brokers, even if LS pays pretty well.

is the numbers worth it? does dot hassle you?

 

I've been inspected twice this year and passed both so not really... The numbers are worth it IF you can land something dedicated or some kind of Lane that runs all the time... This hoppin around grabbin this broker or that broker its hard to keep up like that....

 

With Landstar I'm clearing around 8-9/mo before taxes. I run 2500-3000 mi/wk. I know I can better with my own numbers ...just waiting for a few things on the home front to settle down so my wife can help with bookkeeping and dispatch. I ran my own ten years ago and found myself working 24/7 to keep it all going doing everything myself including my own repairs.

 

I do my own dispatching and book keeping. Nobody will ever do it as good as you do...

 

Two working together can accomplish more than two working alone.

 

on a landstar loads your not getting 97% of what the load pays your getting 97% of what they decide to pay you . we get 65 % of what the total frieght bill is and it works out to be about the same $$$ ..... was doing a load and I guy was bragging about getting 100% and didnt have to share his with landstar , but come to find out he was getting 100% of 850.00 and I was getting 72% of 1250.00 so actually a tad more ..... your getting your cut after landstar and the agent take there cut , and the best loads dont useually make it that far ... if you wanted 100% you have to get your own loads directly from shipper

 

It's really a question of do you want landstar to handle the authority things and streamline a lot of paperwork, PLUS the 70 cent per gallon discount on fuel at many TA's, as well as the tire discounts... plus insurance is like 50% less than if you have your own authority, at least...

OR do you wanna try and capture more of the load % by pulling off their carrier board, and hoping you can find good freight and fuel discounts elsewhere?

Landstar comes with a lot of strings attached, but on the right lanes you can make $$$ and strategize to get home plenty.

I pull 4 days a week, home 3 right now... northeast to midwest and back, 2000 miles a week and bringing slightly over 4k to the truck per week. the gross is more like 5.5 but then landstar takes their cut and so does the broker. and no, I use my own trailer. that's 1k to the truck per day that I'm out!

that guy who gets 100% of 850 prolly is paying full price for fuel, and payin' up the butt for insurance, and that 850 a day is nice, that's 4250 a week if he pulls five a week... but I make that same amount in 4 days!

protip: a reefer gets 3% more, and that's even if it's for a dryvan load! must be negotiated with broker first tho before confirmation. never run my reefer unit, and it's a heavier trailer, but lovin' that extra 3%!

So yeah IT'S NEVER THAT SIMPLE GUYS! trucking has taught me that much, at least!

 

Unless the 2nd is a dummy & you’re redoing their work lol

 

I think im going to try landstar over mercer for my first time as a owner op. My question is will you be able to hustle more with just the bobtail vs dock bumping with a trailer? I had a guy tell me dont come there with just a bobtail.

 

Landstar takes 35% of the revenue if you pull their dryvan trailers. They call it power only.

Otherwise, if you bring your own trailer they take 25% for Reefer, 27% for Flatbed/Step, & 28% for Dryvan.

If you rent a flat or stepdeck from them, and there is a waiting list, they charge 600$ a month but only take the 27% as if you owned it.

Power only isn't a great deal, tbh. And they take 35% even if you're pulling linehaul for UPS or FEDEX and it's a fedex trailer! Even though they pay NOTHING for maintaining, registering, and/or insuring a fedex or ups trailer!

My boss and me have spoken about this a lot as we're looking for another driver right now and unsure whether to have them pull power only or flats or our own dryvan, and it's a headache when landstar takes so much. Of course, they pay more per mile than the 1.40$ guys.