Landstar

Landstar doesn't get in a hurry to approve applicants. I would think that they could get through the process much more quickly than they do. I would count on it taking several weeks to get approved.

When you look at the rates that Landstar shows, it is the gross, not truck money. If you pull a van the truck will make about 65% of the rate plus the fsc. Some may include the fsc in the rate when they give the gross figures to you.

 

UGHHHH, I really hope they don't take more than a month. I put my application in with them over Christmas.

 

Had a good friend of mine jump ship from Hall Bros to Landstar. The process did take at least 2 weeks and if I recall correctly it was 3 weeks.

The thing with Landstar is that the good paying loads never hit the loadboards and you will find the same loads listed two or more times with different rates as the agents work together with everyone taking a piece of the pie.

He found out that if he ran hard and proved himself for a few months that he now has agents calling him, again for loads that will never see the loadboard.

Best of luck.

 

You're shooting from the hip. The majority of agents, as in 99% of us, don't work together. Those same loads you see posted are because a freight forwarder either deals with multiple agents, which shouldn't be allowed, or multiple agents have a freight forwarding customer who deals with their customer, who has multiple freight forwarders. It's called competition.

Unless I've got a driver who dedicates to a lane for me, all of my loads hit our boards regardless of the pay, and that's typically what you'll see with every agent. Can you blame us? Why not give the guy who does an outstanding job the best paying stuff and being able to rest easy knowing the load is going to be taken care of and get there when the driver says?

Not to mention the fact you don't have a BCO tell you he has a 53' SD with a minimum of 8' on the top and 40' on the bottom only to find out his ramps only leave him 46' on bottom when he shows up to load and you're left scrambling to recover something.

 

It still seems strange to me that Landstar still allows agents to compete with one another. I thought that might stop when they merged the divisions. Apparently, it is still going on. I can see how there could also be some issues with the BCO's. I guess we all have issues with which to deal.

 

It's mainly the agents that don't have real contract freight. In most cases, one agent will have an "in" with a big broker who gives the agent a great rate, and the others are finding it off of the broker's load board listing. That has been a gripe for the last few years with these new agents they're adding that aren't bringing a solid book of business with them. I came here for contract freight, not load board freight, so I let the dumb BCO's deal with that crap. They are the same ones that will ##### about it, yet take the freight, therefore keeping that agent here at Landstar for at least another day.

 

The slow part of the process is LS wating for replies from your former employers, they by law have 30 days to respond and some use it all.

 

Exactly, when Landstar says you're hired, you are hired which is refreshing. There won't be any last minute "pulling you out of orientation so you can fax something BS" like you'll find at other carriers.

 

I remember back when I leased to Landstar I hauled loads from JB Hunt, Schneider, CH Robinson and a few others. There were those that had direct business. I think dealing with brokers and third party logistics companies has become more the norm these days rather than going after the business direct. Generally when you see a cheap rate there are several hands in the til before it gets to the truck. As large as Landstar is there is no reason they should be hauling so much brokered freight.

 

And you are reading from a book and not dealing with reality. Justify it however you wish, the fact is that it happens.