Landstar Questions

Thanks. Why does anyone say yes to them though? Why isn't it cheaper to find the capacity themselves?

 

Oh, theres a wide range of why. I had a load (that paid really good) going to Rapid City. SD a while back, but the only things coming out of there were double brokered CH Robinson loads. I took the shortest one I could that got me to someplace that got me a decent load.

As for cheaper to get their own, thats kind of hard when you are sitting somewhere in eastern Europe.... Yes, they are working "from home"...

They dont care what it pays, where its going, or whats coming out of where its going. They just want to get as many loads booked as they can and get their 17%.

When you get 17% to sit on your ### and push buttons on a computer and talk to a few people, what difference does it make if the driver makes $4/mi or $1/mi? They get their 17% of whatever it pays... Their cost is the same regardless. They dont have fuel costs, dealing with traffic, having to sit for hours/days to get unloaded. They just want their 17%.

 

Who is Vlad? Labeling him as Eastern European is racist.

 

Apologies - that's how I've seen the outsourced model referred to in forums and thought that was normal.

 

Lol, it is. Hes just playing with you.

 

That's the best description right there - "Out Sourced".

I've talked to different ones all over the world, but there's a LOT from Ukraine. When the war broke out LS panicked because so many of the sub-agents were based there.

For me, on the platform side - they're a risky phone call. It used to be the 'Little John' agents that were the cut and paste kings, but these guys have taken it to a new level. Most of the loads I do are not listed as 'direct', but the agent at LS is one phone call away from the shipper/reciever/bill payer.

The Ukraine types can be 3 or 4 steps removed from that. If they can't immediately give me the dimensions and details - the phone call is usually over.

They flood the board, multiple different agent codes posting the same load - so if you see '50,000 loads' on the board, the number is probably closer to 10,000.

 

Phew - don't cancel me!

Cheers. I just don't get why another broker would get the offshore Landstar guy involved at all - as you say they are just on the computer/phone and so presumably could cover the load themselves without giving someone else a cut. Is it about Landstar having better capacity or something?

 

We don't get why mega carriers wive's wait until their drivers leave and then have all their old boyfriends over for a visit either. Especially since they're just friends.

Cheers

 

Umm, the OTHER broker doesnt care where the money goes. This is how it works...
CH Robinson (or whoever) talks to company A that needs to ship some crap to company B. They agree on a deal, lets say $2000.
CH Robinson (or whoever) cant cover said load with their own trucks (if they even have them), so they put it on some platform (DAT for example) for $1600 (the $2000 minus 20% for THEM).
Some hungry Landstar broker in Ukraine sees this and puts it on OUR board at $1328 (the $1600 less 17% for him).
Some hungry Landstar driver desperate to keep his wheels rolling is stupid enough to take it at that price...

And because CH Robinson (or whoever) doesnt give an eff about the law, the fuel surcharge is built into that $1328...

CH Robinson (or whoever) doesnt care if a driver gets that $1600 they have posted on the board or another broker gets it. All THEY care about is getting THEIR 20% of the original $2k. What happens to it after that, they dont give an eff...

And MOST Landstar brokers are just fine, its these over seas guys that you hear from the most. At least in MY case, they are constantly calling and offering loads they found. Ive been here going on 6 years now. If I get a call from a broker I dont know, I dont even answer it.

If you call on a load and the broker "has to check to see if the load is still available" alarm bells should be going off in your head ** DANGER WILL ROBINSON!! DANGER! ** its a double brokered load...

 

so what?