a 50 or 52 ft step fixes that loaded container problem. A lot of Landstars flat loads would go either flat or step. If I ever get back into it, I'll probably get a step and haul OD freight. I was just getting into that and making some really good jack when I quit Landstar. You gotta pick your loads right otherwise you'll end up making less money than hauling FAK.
I thought it might have been a typing error. There is some really good paying team flat/step freight. And even if it doesn't require team you can still haul FAK and deliver earlier than required. Most of the time, occasionally I saw specific unload dates.
Yep i was looking at the OD stuff i did that for along time but then some of the cut rate companys got into it and they rates dropped so far it wasn't worth it any more. If you can find that little nitch market with a step deck you can make a good liveing and not work all that hard to do it. And since we will have most of our equipment payed for it should be pretty easy to make a good liveing.
Yep...as long as it has the ability to achieve a 41 ft KPRA so you can run California. Mine was only a 48 ft step with a 10 ft upper deck. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking steps...just bringing up some of the downsides in case some here haven't thought of them. If I ever go stepdeck again, it will either be a Doonan with the 8 ft upper deck and the 40 ft lower deck with container locks built in, or a 50 ft step that can slide the spread into a tandem to get the 41 ft KPRA (also good for running British Columbia when needed)
Yup I forgot to mention the slider axle. Another thing to keep in mind is that a 8' upper deck rides FAR FAR ROUGHER than a 10' upper deck. It has some thing to do with the king pin setting in order to achieve rear drive tire clearance on the step when turning. This I've learned from another Landstar O/O that had an 48 with the 8' upper and then changed to a 52' with a 10' upper. He said his ride was night and day difference.
Oh wow...now there's something I never even considered. Man, what a bummer to spend that kind of dough just to find out you hate it. Now that's a valuable piece of info!
So far my not quite firm plan is to go to Landstar and start in van since that is where my exp is. But then transition to flat as Brickmann says they will give the securement training. I was thinking curtainside but I'm not sure how much freight there is for it. I REALLY am intreagued by o.d. stuff. and by that mean O.D.!! I was checking out a rig in IL last week, think it was a 16 axle. Man, now that is trucking! I can just imagine how long a move takes with one of those though
Hey Medicine Man...I got your PM but they won't let me PM you or even e-mail you until I accumulate enough posts. I spent over 20 minutes typing out a reply and lost it all. Arrrgh!
