Landstar questions

i think depending on how you want to set your business up is going to be how much you need a month. I like to gross, or need to gross about 12,000 a month. there have been months were i have done much more, and also a little less, but for me to pay my weekly salary, truck payments, fuel and everything else that is what i like to see about every month, or at least gross 3000 a week.
everybody has a different system, some like just staying out and running for a set period of time, i like coming home every weekend. so guys chase the highest paying loads no matter where they go, and some haul cheap freight to say they have a load on the truck. depending on where you live that may or may not work out from you. last year i had quite the pick of agents that i worked directly with and didn't use the board much., but as time goes on the rates fell and those customers found cheaper carriers and landstar for now has been cut out of the mix, or the volume of loads that we used to get isnt there anymore. So now for me its kinda tough to stay in the area that i run in and do the same numbers that i would like to see given the current fright that we have. its doable, im doing it, but its not gonna be easy.
and as for the trailer, flat or step i would get you own, but for a dry van i would recommend pulling there trailer for at leas 6 months to see if drop and hook a load or not, and reevaluate your need from there. me personalty i wanted my own trailer but i'm really glad i dint get one because it would hinder my ability to run like i do, make the money i need, and stay in there area where i have made contacts with agents that have direct freight that can keep me loaded i good freight areas. its just a learning process to see what works for you.

 

You can't have access to the load boards unless your either leased onto Landstar or an approved carrier.

 

Why anyone would give up 35% of revenue to pull double brokered loads is beyond me. Not to mention you will be forced on e logs making it impossible to run hard when needed to get yourself out of a bad spot. Id find a small company with work you like and lease onto them. I never gross under 7k in a full week out.
You need to raise your standards or youll be just another cut rate newbie ####ing up the industry on his way to bankruptcy.

 

Yes I had a fancy office job that made good money and impressed hot college girls but the migraine at the end of the day that not even Advil could cure wasn't worth it.

 

You have to learn when you can ask for more money. A BCO mentioned here already you need to know the difference when an agent is offering you one of their direct loads or if it is something spot market from another broker or 3PL. That was some excellent advice. I have heard some BCO's complain that nothing at Landstar is negotiable. Sounds like some people have the system, and freight in general, figured out and others don't.

As a BCO loads from other brokers and 3PL's are going to be your opportunity to get significantly higher rates - but only if market conditions allow it and also if you ask for it. In the here and now more often than not they don't. And the direct freight any given agent has may or may not be pretty decent on it's on.

But yeah they probably tend to get ticked when you ask for more money on their direct contract. Especially with a dry van. Some agents and brokers get deeply offended that some people don't just book whatever sorry rate is offered, as most vans out here do, even when they know market conditions are such that trucks might be hard to get at any price now and then. Just as truckers get addicted to turning those big wheels all the time no matter what the freight pays brokers and agents get addicted to easy access to plentiful cheap trucks. Some of them take it in stride when that is not the case, but most are whiners. Just like truckers oddly enough.

 

The sad part is that you think thats impossible. I got buddies who run harder than me breaking 10k a week regularly.

The key is to specialize. No owner operator should ever pull a dry van unless hes doing ltl,hazmat etc... do what the megas cant do and reap the rewards.