Get rid of authority to lease on?

I'm leased to a carrier and I have run my numbers. Researched the costs involved to run under my own authority and I can make a little more operating under my own authority.

I would never run under a carrier like Landstar or Mercer, Great Wide,.. etc etc. Too many restrictions for me. And I'm of the opinion I would not make anywhere near the gross or NET profit that I see now.

The only reason I like being leased on is lazyness. I hate paperwork. No other reason really. That and I am comfortable and have built a reputation with my own client base and this just works for me.

If you are struggling with your own authority,.. lack of customers, shippers etc,.. then the only reason I can see to lease on to a company like Landstar or Mercer would be to gain access to their shipper base.

I cant speak for Landstar or Mercer drivers directly. Only report discussions from drivers who feel obligated to share their rate with me in hopes that I will share mine. Its been my experience that The loads they have trouble moving on their own board or rush loads will get posted to the public load boards,.. the rates are a little more than what they pay their own drivers,.. but the average I see and from conversations with Landstar agents,.. they are not averaging $2.90 mi,.. not even close. Also,.. I've seen this a few times. Landstar in particular,.. they post loads on boards that they do not even have. They are waiting for someone to call,.. then they submit a quote or bid to the shipper before a list of 25 other brokers doing the same thing. Then call you back to say whether the load was canceled (They cant meet your rate) or that you got the load.

There is a lot of freight moving out here for open deck. Learn who the top brokerages are with the best rates,.. learn who to get friendly with and who to make nice nice with. Learn the best paying lanes and where the best paying shippers are and how to create loops to remain in profitable areas. Learn how to move from one good lane to another and create other loops that keep you where to need to be. This is a dog eat dog business. Location location,.... location.

Hurst

 

What does it mean you are leased to a carrier but run under your authority?

 

I think you mis-read what I said.

I am leased to a carrier. I never said I have my own authority. I said I could NET more of my own money with my own Authority,.. but I am too lazy to pull the trigger.

My comfort zone is exactly how I have it now. It just works for me.

Hurst

 

60%,70% of my loads are landstar freight because i live near few ports,i get to haul above average freight,od/os in a regular basis.i do haul for few others to keep my d/h to a minimum and stay in my comfort zone.i dont spend much time looking for outbound loads,just setup my preferences on landstar website and wait for that email to come.i also post my truck in the same area and wait for the phone call.i look at the boards just to study the market and target the right loads if everything else fails.
Usually one outbound load ,a short hop to reposition and a load home.

 

@zinita17601

Do you have your own authority?

 

Gotcha. I mis-read.

 

No that was 10% less than I make now under my own numbers working for that same place. I get 85% now with my numbers. Leased to tHem I would be at 75% and their trailer. They have good freight in the lanes I like. With them taking 15% I still do better than brokers. Broker take more than 15 they just don't tell you. Plus working for them they back me if I have an expensive break down. I usually have 35k in the bank for break downs. I just rebuilt my engine a few mo. Ago so it drained me. Then my Ecm broke so it was nice to have them back me even though I hated to barrow from them.

 

Malones were when I was leased to them. Some were very hard if not impossible to deal with. That's been a few years may have changed.

 

Or shoot it what're means you would like to kill it. My truck is a 2000 but was built 5/99 and so was the engine so I don't need elog. I have yet to get a dot inspection since elogs I'm betting that will be fun.

 

You would be silly to give up your authority. Your wife needs to step her game way up. If you want to be anything more then a driver one day, it takes cooperation at home. If she watches the kids all day everyday that also can be exhausting, but sacrifices must be made. At a certain point you may be able to send them to day care a couple days per week, make more money, think about adding trucks, etc.

End of day it’s all what you want out of life and what works for family. Think long term always.