Landstar

You do need to read over the rate confirmation very carefully. Rates for some LTL are no more than for truckload. Rates should be higher for the allocated space pulling LTL than for truckload. I know a carrier who does LTL and regularly has $6/mile loads on his trucks. I have had drivers who just don't like LTL, even though they can make much more money doing them. It is part of the attitude that if the truck isn't moving then they are not making money. They would rather run 3,0000+ in a week than use their head and make the same money for 1,500 miles. Drivers and owner operators are their own worst enemy.

 

I've got to admit, I had 1 really good load at LS and it was when I was running a van trailer. I picked-up what was supposed to be a LTL in St. Paul and it was going to Miami Intl Airport at $3.50 mile. Once I got there, they loaded me with the machine (seed germinator) and then realized they could fit the other 2 crates onto my trailer, so I called the broker and he had not found a truck for the second part, so he added it to me for the other $3.50 mile. So I got $7 mile to haul 30,000#'s of machinery to Miami from St. Paul. Needless to say, that never happend again that easily, but I also did not know what I was doing and did not run my truck properly. I'm man enough to admit it and almost went under. If i ever go back again, i think i have enough knowladge now to make a good buck and be home quite often living where I do, but you have to learn from your mistakes and know your limits. Don't look at just the GROSS of a load and mind where it is going. i did a lot of stuff to FL for $2 a mile and got killed on the DH. Stupid crap we do sometimes just cuz we need $$$

 

We all make mistakes. It is important to learn freight lanes, rates and how to manage your truck so that you don't get in a situation where you have to take a load just to get moving. When I go to a bad freight area I get a high enough rate where I can afford to deadhead to a better area if I can't find a decent paying load. It takes time and experience to learn where to go and where to avoid. You need to learn to be able to survive during the learning process.

 

Yep, I had never even pulled a broker load before, let alone FINDING my own loads. It was a learning experience to say the least, but once I figured it out, I was doing good. I left there and went to Schneider's Choice Program and learned their system like a pro. I was able to avg $2.25 for ALL miles and get home just about everyday. It was nice, but then they added too many guys are the loads got harder and harder to book, and the rates went WAY down (08-09) and I had to cut loose and went to QC. Then, the same thing happened again this year, and now I'm on to skateboards (which i think is where I'll be staying)

 

You need to find your niche'. Regardless of where you go or lease, there will be a learning curve.

 

LTL with transfer facility was a business plan that I looked at. Have a bunch of trucks bring stuff in and then book a full TL with multi-stops. Just not interested in moving to the parts of the country that make sense to do this.

But on FB stuff this is going to be a larger focus of mine in 2012. That and short haul OS loads.

 

We're still learning but doing well. I didn't get 6-7$a mile on the rate with that load but well above my usual and no more trouble than it was I was satisfied with it. Next time we are in a situation like that we'll see how much better we can do but we don't actively seek loads like that. If it happens, go with it sort of deal.

 

Im not sure if you would consider this LTL or truckload but I loaded at one place and it was a 4 stop load around chicago from the quad cities. I made a little over 300 bucks for this and I'm a company driver. It was 297 loaded miles.

I love taking those multiple stop loads and would love to do LTL loads if it was like this where it made sense and was in some sort of order. The name of the game is profit with as low of expense as possible and in that case it was high profit with low cost to the truck.

 

I usually consider LTL as having multiple pickups from different shippers with different consignee's. When you are paid for multiple stops the money can mount up.

 

Thats what I thought it was also, but like you said when you get multiple stops on a short distance run like that, the money adds up.