Quick Landstar question, Load Securement Training

I loaded in Knoxville

 

I looked at Landstar for flatbed and they wanted me to haul van for 2 years then do the load secure mentioned and switch to flat. Wouldn't let me go directly to flat as my flat experience was 5 years old.

 

I call that bull. There is no such rule. I know many that leased on , went to securement training and never looked back.
Is that right @blairandgretchen

Securement is common sense and knowing the law. Just remember those chains left hanging on your headache rack don't do any good.

T-BoneX you say planning stage, next month or in 2 years? You pull the trigger and jump in I can give you some advice, but ain't wasting my time until you sign.
Have you even been accepted by LS,

 

Yes - I bought a flat and leased on, and the guy running my other trailer did the same with almost no prior flatbed experience.

I got a lot out of the securement class.

 

I'll chime in here...

It does not take 9 mos. to sign on. I don't know what clearance you're talking about but the process of leasing to LS takes about a month...mostly depends on the time it takes your former employers to respond to them.

Once they qualify you there is 30 days to sign the lease and complete orientation. If you don't, the qualification process starts over.

As far as equipment goes, if you're planning on pulling company trailer I hear that makes things harder on you. Better bet may be figuring out how to have your own. You should be more concerned with the specs of a trailer than the tractor. The trailer is what makes you money, not the truck.

You want to get good advice? Find a LS driver pulling the kind of trailer you want to pull and offer to buy his supper. Rinse and repeat.

 

Sounds like you have it all figured out then....good luck.

 

OK...then I guess we'll continue.

I suggested talking to LS guys in person because there's a lot that can get lost in forum talk. You can read people in person. Success at LS depends heavily on your ability to deal with people...in person, on the phone...you know, actual contact...not on the internet so much. Will you encounter people with negative things to say? Sure you will...but I found they mostly congregate around the few LS terminals and are usually pulling vans. Go talk to open deck guys and you'll see. And keep asking questions here. Knowledge is power.

I don't know what government loads you're thinking you'll get with some 9 month clearance but it's probably not going to happen. I haul lots of government stuff and there is no special clearance required. IF they have anything that specialized it's certainly not going on a newly leased on truck.

Starting out they would likely have you qualified to do legal dimensions. Forget heavy haul for now, you don't have enough experience. They want you to have two years in with them and be classified at SD4 or higher before they will allow you to pull an RGN. Want a head start? Go work for a company that does open deck and get a year or two in there first. Then if LS accepts you, you come in at a higher qualification and it opens up more options for you. Besides you'll have your hands full trying to learn the system...don't make it harder on yourself by having to also learn how to do open deck freight at the same time.