Landstar Questions

At this moment there are 0 container loads listed in our system, US and Canada. The majority that we do get move on flatbeds or stepdecks. Very few on chassis.

 

If you want to pull cans, FL is about the only place LS has dedicated can haulers. Doesn't pay that good from what I hear, and the agent would have to need another driver. They generally don't ever hit the load board as the trucks are dedicated.

 

We ship containers frequently, but its all on steps and flats.

 

Do you recommend new drivers to Landstar to hold off on buying their own trailer until they learn the system? Also if I have an empty Landstar trailer and go on home time am I allowed to hold onto that empty while at home?

 

If you're talking platform, you're married to that trailer if you choose the rental option, which is the option you should choose. As far as vans, I wouldn't imagine you'd give it up for any less than 2 weeks at home.

I'd figure out the system before buying a trailer.

 

I will be doing dry van and you suggest renting one out immediately? Can I set this up during orientation? Thanks for the advice.

 

To my knowlege, LS does not rent vans. There are some people that have vans available, but not LS Corporate. Pull a company van, starting out, and after awhile, see if you do more drop and hooks, or live loads. The only thing you miss out on, pulling company van, is the trailer revenue.

 

My comments applied to platform only, sorry for any misunderstanding.

 

I pulled many container loads for Gemini out of Charleston back in 2001.....I would be willing to bet they still are.....CMC, if I remember right, is the agent there. Container loads don't normally get posted on a load board unless they are to be loaded on a flat or step.

 

No, you don't rent dry vans from LS as they are already leased into the system and are involved in D&H work so you won't be keeping the same trailer for any long term period therefore why and how would you want to be responsible for a trailer you might only pull once and never see again. Only platform and specialty trailers are rented to BCO's directly from LS at a weekly fee. If and when you buy your own trailer then you lose the option of D&H freight but you gain an extra 7% of the linehaul. IMO the big thing is to learn what agents have what freight, the type it is and what lanes you want or need to run and that will differ greatly with the D&H stuff and the live load/unload stuff so IMO it's easier to get going just pulling a company van for awhile, and they can be live/live with them too so you are actually a bit more versatile to start until you get to know your go to agents and what kind of freight they have and what their needs are. The learning curve is much steeper and longer here for most as this is a wide open system....you are your own load planner, dispatcher etc etc so many times using a little imagination when dealing with agents is a definite plus.

I would wait for a year or so until you get comfortable learning the load board and running the system and building up your go to agent list before looking at getting your own trailer. There is a good deal of D&H work here to get going with but it has both it's plus sides and it's drawbacks as with most things and realistically it's gonna take you a good 3 months or so to begin to understand how this deal works ....if you are like most of us starting out here you will need to get running so stick with a company van for now......hope you get lucky and get one within a week or so of finishing up orientation.......sometimes there are issues with availability.

When you finish orientation and are in the system then LS will have you contact your BCO adviser and/or trailer control and you will be assigned a trailer......don't be suprised if you have to bobtail a ways to get it but you should be compensated a bit to do so.