Landstar Questions

Oh Yea.They are coming up with every single ''excuse'' and road block to keep drivers off the dock...

Simple terms...They are scum bags wanting the job and the money for unloading...The whole ''lumper'' thing is one big SCAM..This started many many years ago in NYC with the MOB...

 

Yea tell me about it, even flats have it that way they started in the 80s with it lumber and drywall need lumpers to tarp and untarp! WTF BIG TIME BS!

 

Question guys, how often do you guys book ahead?? and how far?? I be wanting to build trips for days ahead but I guess I'm scared to jump the gun based on what could go wrong at a receiver or with a breakdown... Don't want to get into a bad start with certain agents.

 

I always stay one load ahead.

 

Ok, nobody yell cause I'm not a BCO but I think the same general rules apply... You'd probably be better off just booking one at a time until you learn a few areas and see some patterns emerging. Then maybe you can work to where you'll book a load that picks 2 or 3 days out knowing you'll be able to work to it, but you need to know, half way what you can manage, cause you can get burned.. Or book 3 or 4 loads in succession one day after another, or maybe even a couple or 3 for a day... But sometimes it's not your truck breaking to worry about, sometimes loads cancel and screw up the best laid plans. You'll see different freight is more lucrative at times than others, maybe it's best just to pick off one finish it, then pick another, etc, etc... ...cause maybe the regular stuff has dropped off and isn't there so you really don't have the ability to preplan anything, not for profitable rates anyways. For example last year, and again I'm speaking about loadboards and open spot freight in general here not just Landstar inside only freight, I had a system down where I'd book 2 or 3 loads sometimes in a day and have one for the end of the week booked.. ..but this year it's just booking stuff day by day and shopping, rates are much better that way and it's less work.. I seem to work harder trying to come up with a plan to book loads ahead but that's just me, and there are times when one must do that.. You have to be flexible but being new it would be best to take small steps starting out til you figure out a few things.. ...that allows you time to hone necessary skills on where to go, not to go at what rate, how to quote rates on the fly from the seat of your pants.. Focus on a small area and expand out from there. Do not try to learn every lane in the lower 48...

 

I am just doing one at a time.

 

I was like that when I first started but I have one agent that I trust and build my triangle around and that load is available to me every other Monday. I have a load going to Phoenix tomorrow then a good paying reload back to So Cal. The first thing I asked the agent for the So Cal load was if it was okay for me to be late for pickup just in cause I have problems with my delivery. He called the shipper and they gave me a 10 hour window. I notice that a lot of appointment times are flexible.

 

Question, if I do not take a pre-trip advance does all that available money go to my settlement card on payday (including FSC)?

 

Yes.

 

I'm in the process of leasing on with Landstar, I'm putting the final pieces of the paperwork in order now. I do notice a lot more deductions are in the paperwork, I just hope the final weekly pay will be to my satisfaction. I have a friend there and he also talks about the FREEDOM he has with the company. I thought I had the freedom where I was until the COO of the company I was leased to demanded that I run during the 72hr DOT check when I knew I had some things I needed to fix on my truck. I told him I was putting my truck in the shop, as I did & he told me I can GONE DOWN THE ROAD, so I told him, BYE!! I'm looking forward to a new beginning & reputable company & I pray that Landstar will be the company that I'll finish my trucking career with. My time is winding down out here after 26 yrs. I do understand some of the things you are saying landstar8891, I'm look forward to the challenge, as I'll be taking the load board challenge today. Can some current Landstar BCO's tell me what are some of the things that'll be taking place in Landstars orientation