Landstar is getting cheap.

Most of your assumptions in this statement are incorrect.
They are your opinions based on your experiences. Not what is.








I never thought having ones own authority made a whole lot of difference to an operation: until I got my authority- 4 years and 1 week ago. Things are quite different being a carrier yourself vs being leased. One thing that surprises me is that many people who were once leased operate in almost the exact same way they did when leased. Ie
"I need an independent dispatcher"
"I have to stay loaded"
"No one loads a new MC"
"One truck carriers can't get good customers"
"One truck carriers can't handle the capacity of large customers"
"One truck carriers have to use brokers because no customers will deal direct"
"One truck carriers have to work directly with customers to make any money"
"Independent owner operators __________"
Fill in the blank with what other failed carriers or guys that have never done it have said.


Separately:
I can't be the only person on here that shakes their head in amazement at all the things said on this forum by people that don't know; maybe I'm just the only one bored enough this evening to bother touching on this topic.


There's too much to set here and type about what it takes to be successful as a carrier. And I admit: there's has to be tons I don't know. What I know is that there are very few people that comment on this forum that are successful small carriers or single truck OO's that operate independently. Not that there aren't any; just tends to be they don't talk publicly about what they do. Yet plenty of people that know very little if anything, are quite outspoken.

 

This. 100%. Hauling something cheap cost me money because the time it took to load and unload prevented me from getting a profitable load on. If i unload in a bad market i can dh 600 to 800 miles in time to load a good load the very next day. If i run cheap for that 600 to 800 miles it's an additional day before i can load a good load.

 

Well that's a nice self righteous rant. But I'm far from failed, and do pretty darned good. I can only speak from what I see a lot of people do.

I have people ranting on me because I don't say where I run or what I haul, don't need the competition. But if your home very night, 250 mile radius, as you boast, you have a few direct customers that pay you both ways.
If that's not the case, please enlighten us.

 

Far from self righteous: I'm just saying what is.

I'm certainly not boasting, in my opinion my numbers are far from great; they just are what they are. I hustle hard and have been, to get where I am. I have lots more to do before I'll feel that I'm successful as a carrier. I have plenty to learn ahead of me, and that's something I'm looking forward to. I've learned plenty from this site, primarily from people who haven't come on here in years.

 

This is spyders post a few pages back ---

Now i have hauled what i would call cheap freight on occasion. If i take a load out of my main markets to a bad area like el paso or laredo. And there is a cheap(but not insulting cheap) loaf pucking up right there, the same day i deliver, and going back to my good market i will consider grabbing it. But only if it won't slow me down. I won't wait a day for it or hold onto it longer than i could have dh right beak to the good market.

 

I'm saying what is also, your not saying anything.

This is not comparing apples to apples.

You're not looking for backhauls you say, so why are you even looking at LS loadbaord?

 

Well, I can tell you guys this,
Ruthless is doing it the right way...Even after only 4 years of Independent service-He has done it RIGHT!!

No Need to be jealous or angry because He went over and above What your average trucker does.
I'm sure he worked Very Hard to secure the kind of business that brings him premium financial rewards...

He was even Nice enough to share what kind of revenue he makes....I Know he's a straight shooter

He's doing way better than your average Broker-your average carrier and your average driver

And he also made a great point about the Few that do well privatize themselves from public knowledge- Yet the Big Mouths are pretty verbal on Lies on a public forum...

To you young guys, Keep the Trap Closed and learn From us "seasoned" Vets..........The Right way to run a business

 

Well I just don't understand why one guy leased to Mercer, has any dog in the fight with Landstar, and why another that always goes back empty cause he gets paid both ways, also has a dog in the fight with Landstar board?

 

Because @Ruthless might catch the LS agent in a pickle that has a load that needs to go at a great rate. That’s why he looks on the load board.

 

Exactly.