Landstar vs Schneider Choice ( Comparison )

thanks for posting the link, now I can follow....I knew you had started another thread but, I couldn't find it the other day......good luck!

 

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This has been a great thread to read I am a company flat bed man looking to become a o/o that being said I think the deck has been stacked for sni in this thread u want to compeer apples to apples but u are really comparing apples to apples pair sni specializes in van only for choice where LS does not specialize in any of there categories so the first question asked should've been what type of owner operator do you want to be are you looking more for the self-employed type or are you looking to start a business model that expanded. from the sound of it SNI would be a good place for the first no hassles with brokers just picked your Freight and go an okay place for the Second if you want more company protection and stability while you build up some Capital it also gives you time to get a feel for The cost of operating a truck while you are finding the hot Lanes i'm sure where you find higher price freight on SNI board you will also find higher prices on The LS Board but let's be realistic when comparing the two companies you can't just say hey let's compare the van rates and not include working with brokers to get them LS will win hands down in the same respect you can't just compare SNI van to LS van and cut out everything else LS offers for a business entrepreneur so far I've see you get an education in dealing with brokers i've heard they give you a business manager to help you get started. if you're not happy with or just want to expand beyond just pulling van they offer education and the means to go flatbed, step deck, heavy haul, or expedient as for LS o/o not being helpful i've only sat down and talked with two so far both were very helpful in answering any questions I had one referred a couple of brokers they also gave me business cards and numbers and said if I need any help or other questions feel free to call them with all that being said this has been a good thread I've learned a lot and contrary to the governments opinion that one-size-fits-all both companies look very good depending on what someone is looking for I truly hope that this thread continues and that other companies + Lanstar's other services are added to it I would also like to thank the people who added F2 F and roadmaster transport to this thread I will look into both of those companies before I make a final decision of where I'm going

 

@ SNI Choice as long as you update your NAT (Next Available Time) you're good to go. They mentioned in orientation as example a guy who has another business so he only runs a couple of days per week. You can take a whole month if you like, so we were told.

 

I'll make this easy for you guys/gals. I've worked for both companies. If your motivated, adaptable, creative and halfway smart, you will net a great deal more at Landstar. Of course, everyone has there own unique fixed and variable costs. The big one's outside of fuel being your truck payment and truck repairs. I own my truck, I'm not a lease operator, so my truck payment isn't deducted from my settlement. My settlement is consists mainly of revenue from line haul and fuel surcharge and expenses such as fuel, fuel tax, non-trucking liability insurance(I get my physical damage coverage on my own), contractor insurance(similiar to workmen's comp.), plates/permits, prepass, (I pay my 2290- HVUT on my own). Taking this into consideration, my average Schneider settlements average 2K to 3K a week, average Landstar settlements 3K to 4K a week(sometimes higher). Remember to substract you own unique truck payment, truck repair average, and anything else that might not be deducted from your settlement. If your just buying your 1st truck(a used one), I'd recommend estimating you repair costs to be $2,500/ month. Obviously, you're better off overestimating your average repair costs than underestimating it. I'd also recommend you know what, "cost per mile", means and use it and recalculate it on a regular basis. For example, repair costs would be one component of it. If your monthly repair costs average $2,500 a months and you run 10,000 miles a month. You would divide 2,500 by 10,000 and get .25 cents. That means your cost per mile as far your repairs are concerned are .25 cents/mile. Once you understand, "cost per mile", you'll be able to calculate, "profit per mile", which is the equivalant of what company driver refers to when they tell you what they make per mile. One other suggestion, if you want to maximize your profit, do most all of your driving in the Midwest no matter where you live. Only leave if the load pays extremely well, so well that you'll be able to drive empty all the way back and still have a good profit. When comparing loads, remember to look at the p/u and delivery dates and choose the one that will give you the best profit per day and that will keep you in a good freight rate area. Well, that's all I got, sorry I got carried away a little bit. Good Luck!

 

Congrats, not all to common. That's like someone surviving a trip over the Niagara Falls in a barrel.

 

I'm a company driver at Old Dominion...looking to become O/O during latter part 2016.
Which truck would u pick? from the two below
http://www.truckertotrucker.com/listings/320494.cfm >>> $63k, 500k miles.
http://www.truckertotrucker.com/listings/324805.cfm >>> $68k, 350k miles.
Nice to hear good thing about LandStar, do they pay 100% of FSC?

Any more experience with other companies?
I'm also looking at Old Dominion O/O and Roadrunner(following "CREASEY" just starting out): http://www.odfl.com/docs/Recruiting/OwnerOperatorsWanted.pdf
Thanks....