Landstar Questions

jeez sorefoot, your conversation has sparked a massive case of deja vu.
I had the same conversation with these guys 2 years ago about leasing on with my company. I ran all the numbers just like you have, came up with all the disaster scenarios i could, and still found that it would work great for me. And you know what, I made 80 grand(2008) (direct deposit) and took the month of august completely off last year.

I too am looking at landstar now. And have been debating as you have about new or used, and factoring in 1.50 mile. Earl Polvi(LS recruiter) has said this is a fair assumption(includingFSC).

As a solo guy, you'll do great! You may even think about hiring a teammate for a week or so a month to boost your earnings. There are plenty of great drivers out there that need the part time cash for a 7-9 day turn. And ! your the boss!!

I'm going to be looking forward to your posts of success as you enter your venture. Good Luck, SB


ps; go back and search from my posts from '07 about this very subject(i was a greennewbie

 

Hey Sleepingbear, thank you for the reply. I tried to PM you but this forum has a bs rule that you have to post 50 replys before I can send one out. UGHH I tried to leave my e-mail on here but I got a nasty warning. I was wondering if we could exchange e-mail. As I have a few questions since I'm in the same boat you were in at one point. Although I can recieve and read PMs sent to me.. sheesh...

 

if you're determined,you'll succeed.

 

Looks like some people don't like the reality at LS.Yestarday I was at my dealer,and this people knows me and treat me as theyr own family member and from converstion with the sales manager I was told that more and more reposes trucks are cumming in and more are on their list.Should I be positiv of something?Yeah,of course I am.No more landstar and no more chances for becaming bankroupt.I will make tons of money at my new place?Of course not.But I will make it.I will not make tons of money for right now,but I will have a small stady profitable income for sometime.When I said to go and work for a smaller company,this is what I meant:under 10 trucks,me personaly I won't work,best to work for right now from my opinion is the company with trucks about somewere 50-100 units.Don't get me wrong,their are comanyes biggere than 100-1000 units but over 1000 units its just about like LS.How do you think this bigger companyes make so much business?The answer is promoting cheapper fright not paying the driver more money.Best to stay alive right now ar those those company with dedicate lines and they are not that many right now.Just for as to remeber,in harsh time their is business for trucks but we have to look arround for what is needed and what we use day by day even if the sky is falling.Yes be positive about your future and look for a contracts with steady income,not with ocasional cheap fright like LS.Maybe those loads don't look so big like at LS but money are real,not fake like at LS.I'm negative about LANDSTAR because this company right now its fake,maybe was good sometime in the past.For those guys with cash in their pochet:Yes,you are the boss at dealer,you can buy a good truck for a lot less money,just look arround.Don't buy anything if you don't have a decent company to contract for.GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU.

 

What is sad about a comment I read here is a guy says he can live off six hundred dollars a week. Well sir Im not sure about you but is no way in the world that I would invest tens of thousands of hard "trust me its hard" earned money into a system where my return would only be six hundred dollars a week. I guess the dream never will go away. I make more than seven a week after taxes and drive another mans truck. By the way you are going to pay over $100000plus only to make 31000 a year WOW that sounds like a plan.

 

Thanks Trustinfuture. I'll look around at the smaller companies and see what they are offering. I had talked to Elite National out of KS. They have steady freight but it's steady 40k + everytime cuz they are a beef hauler. No real big deal but their pay is ok. They haven't said anything to me, that 1, haven't already heard and 2, stuck out and said YES this is the company so I'm still hunting around looking at my options..
Just out of couriosity. How much is it now a day to get your own Authority? I know I'm prolly better running under someone eles if I can but just courious.
I have a good relationship with a direct buyer and they pay. Last time I ran for them, they were payn' $1.90 1 way But I think I would need my authority to get a broker to get that backhaul?

 

Sorefoot,40k lbs its not such a big deal as long pay decent and fright is steady,that means,when you call for a load,you get one.Just make sure on 40k lbs money are right,that means money for sooner maintenance.Also make sure they been in business for a some times,like 10 years + and their o/o are happy with them.Once you will get there,you will get your chance to talk with their drivers and look at their trucks.If their trucks(o/o) are decent or better,than it might be an indication of how well their owner operators are doing.When you apply this rules,make sure this is not a requirement of their company,but a willing of their O/O to have nice trucks and money are available.Look at LS,they have tons of junks trucks because they hire just about anybody,as long is passing their inspection.If you get your own authorities its a different game and this blog here is about LS and their game.In any case,get your own right its not hard,but its better than leasing with LS.I can not comment to much about money in this situation,because some guys are telling you a story,and other guys another story,just like hunters story.Me personally,I like to stay lease with a smaller size company and call the dispatcher for a load.Use their Trl. and let them handle other headache.In this economies,brokers and agents are competing for cheap fright,just to make it from today to tomorrow at O/O expenses.In any case,LANDSTAR its a scam.

 

I am a BCO. My truck hooked to a L/S company van has averaged .94 cents for every hub mile since Novemeber 08. My average cost per mile since November 08 is $1.05 per hub mile. (My truck payment is $1241.00.) I keep meticulus spread sheets and know my numbers right down to fractions of a penny based on 100,000 miles annually. I believe my costs per mile would be representative of any BCO at L/S with a similar truck payment.

My miles are way down because I dont need the money and certainly feel I am not going to grind my truck into the pavement to prop up and support the current low rates. If I was being real, I would need around $1.30 to the truck to support my annualized static costs plus a decent living wage based on the miles I run at present.

I really feel the responses you have received on this blog have not been negative, just people telling you "like it is'.
If you feel you can make it by sheer hard work and running lot's of cheap miles, then go for it. But really, why would you. There is heaps of companies out there would love to have a guy like you willing to live in the truck (Yes, they have autoshift). You would make a lot better money to boot.
Just my final 2 cents worth.

Footnote: My numbers are based on TA fuel prices. L/S operators get a good deal at TA. Examples as at 4/4/09 and do not include state fuel tax.
Kenly NC. $1.813
Florence SC. $1.851
St Augustine FL. $1.89

and if you ever become an O/O always buy you fuel based on cost before state taxes if you are responsible for paying the IFTA tax. Some carriers will pay the extra IFTA taxes for you, but not many do.

 

Thanks Wobbles.. I believe I have looked at every company that offers a truck W/O a clutch. Some auto shifts just have a clutch to stop and start. I need a truck with none of that stuff. The ones that are hiring are set up for ppl right out of school and no expierence. They don't anything really respectabe for those who do have expierence The only ones that were paying decent, (cowan, mecleod,caltex) aren't hiring at all or where I live.

 

Hey you're welcome. I didn't know that you were disabled and female and a minority.

If you can get grant to get you into a truck, that's a huge head start over the average driver.

I ran for 7 months and was home for 5 out of last year. I grossed well over 200,000. This year is a whole different story. I'd still recommend waiting until things pick up again. It would minimize the risk a whole lot.

Good luck to you, and please don't haul the cheap stuff.