Need help from Landstar Owner Operator

I run open deck here so I can’t answer your question directly.
However, find a Landstar truck at a truck stop, and ask to see the load board.
All of them may not be willing to help, but I’d like to think most will. FYI, the secret here is not running the board. Get in good with a few agents and you will do well.

 

You can still scratch out a living. How much you gross or net will vary greatly depending upon how much you run, and how much your particular overhead costs.

Rates vary in the same manner. Contact recruiting, and tell them you'd like to take part in one of their webinars. You can see the load board in real time then.

Landstarve is a tough place. It's very take no prisoners.

Overall rates are the same here as everywhere else........in the toilet.

 

X2... call and ask to do the loadboad webinar

That's the best way to answer your question..

 

I've been at LS just about 10 years now and its a good company to work for. As a few people have said probably not the best time to come over and learn the system, not that its that hard. Freight rates are down and fuel is up. Give them a look and maybe in a few months check them out

 

If you can’t afford to pay for a truck cash and still have 20k on the side, don’t do it.

Reasons:

If your financing interest rates are high and truck prices are still inflated.

Market is in the toilet.

Fuel is high.

Breakdown prices are high.

Basically all overhead is high, rates are low. You are better off as a company driver than tearing your own equipment up for similar pay. If you know nothing about trucks, even oil changes will be pricy and that isn’t even a repair.

If looking at the board and you see 1000 miles, $2800 going into florida and think that’s a good rate then go for it.

If you consider that a good rate there’s no help for you, you’ll finance a truck and bankrupt within a year in the current conditions.

 

I mean the landstar agent has a contract with a customer. They move a lot of freight for that customer. Sometimes they have landstar trailers on the customers lot for drop and hook. Most freight on the landstar board is from other load boards and has a low rate

 

I worked for landstar up until very recently. Their loads just completely disappeared. Literally seeing landstar loads posted at $1.00-$1.50 mile GROSS, then they take their 33%! That's basically your cost. I would not touch landstar with a 10' pole. Their agents are bald-faced liars bc they're barley making it financially right now. I own my new truck out right. I don't borrow, so I have the luxury of stopping driving for at least the winter completely until rates pick back up, which will be a while. It doesn't make sense to risk life and limb in the winter for peanuts. In the 35 years I've been an o/o, this is the worst bc fuel is very high (on purpose) and freight is very very cheap (on purpose). Any reasonable person can see that this is on purpose. This administration wants diesel to be as high as possible to permanently down-scale the entire US economy to save the planet.

 

Recently saw a whole herd of new hires at SA orientation. Why? Despite the excess of drivers in the market already the corp mentality of squeezing every nickel that can be had no matter the consequence to the individual (and ones already out there) is classic corp mentality. Not the time to encourage anybody. Actually prop AB5 looking better all the time- time will tell.

 

Snicker.. if best of the worse is good then I am all in, sorry for the cliche.