Load Boards

Join Ooida and look at their loadboard. It is powered by Transcore's Dat. I have been using this board wit great results. For 49 $ you get the rates and the credit info on the brokers.. But I ALWAYS ask for more money on the load. Most of the time I will get more.

 

There will be some duplication with all loadboards. When you post your truck or a load on DAT it is supposed to go to all of their boards. DAT has several different names for their loadboards. DAT 360 is what many of the major carriers use. It is a bit pricey. Starting out I would probably subscribe to mymembersedge, internet truckstop and/or perhaps getloaded. If you only want to subscribe to two, I would go with mymembersedge and internettruckstop.

 

Anyone using Landstar?? I hear they're good. Anyone know anything about them??

 

Landstar is just like the trucking economy as a whole. They will have some loads that pay great, and some that don't. As a whole company they are neither better or worse than any other broker. Just remember the good agents and stick to working with them.

 

What do you want to know?

 

I want to know if they have any specific requirements as far as your rig is concerned. Such as age of tractor and trailor?

 

Gisquid, noticing you are a student. I would suggest getting some experieince before you try being an o/op. Especially somewhere like Landstar. You have to be able to choose your own loads, lanes, etc. I would not suggest a move like that without several years experience. Put in a yeat at a company that will hire students, while looking for a good company you can make a home as a company driver. As you gain experience at a good company start making your plans to become an o/op. It is much more complicated than buying a truck and hitting the road.

 

If you are pulling loads off the boards, no.

 

If you are talking about brokering freight through Landstar, then they don't care what you drive as long as you have an acceptable safety score, insurance and authority.

If you are talking about becoming an owner operator and leasing to Landstar, then they only want your truck to be in good shape where it can pass a DOT inspection. They do prefer that it has an acceptable look.

Landstar only has owner operators. There are company drivers who are employees of an agent or BCO (owner operator). But, Landstar doesn't own any company trucks.

Landstar does a thorough background check on new hires and it usually takes several weeks to get through their approval process. I believe they require 6-12 months experience to lease on with them. I don't know that they would be the best place for an inexperienced owner operator to start. The main reason is that they don't hold your hand. You are truly on your own with Landstar. To be successful with them you will need to be very proactive. They will offer you the tools, but it will be up to you to know how to use them. There are no dispatchers at Landstar.

 

I agree with everyone here that this isn't a place for a newbe such as myself. I have read a ton about them and so far it seems to me that this company has alot to offer someone operating as an O/O. Are there more companies like this one out there?