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Rate comparison between own authority and Landstar

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Preacher Man, Aug 8, 2015.

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  1. Aug 8, 2015 #11
    Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    First I believe in the work smarter not harder school of business. Even in the LS system the loads we look at pay north of $2.50 a mile. That $8500 is what we got after LS took their 35%. As far as the trailer issue, that is top of the list immediate priority. We have the business model we want to follow, we know what loads pay and we know how we need to run in order to put money in the bank. What I have been looking at is having complete control over my business. My wife is great working with agents and finding the right loads to make us profitable.

    We made a fundamental shift in our load selection starting at the end of April and watched our cost of business drop drastically while our revenue went up. I am usually able to shut down by dinner and start my day about 6:30. I am able to work less, end my day without being worn out, have a little bit of a life, get home on the weekends, make more and spend less which has helped the bank account.

    It really sounds like Rollin Coal is doing what we are looking for. His comments kind of confirm my suspicions that even working off the boards you'll see an increase because you won't be dealing with loads that have been rebooked by LS agents. Even with LS direct freight agents you see better rates than the non direct. Sometimes you trade the extra dollars for quality of life. When I shut down I don't just sit around waiting till it's time to go to bed, so that I can just get up and work again.
     
    Preacher Man, Aug 8, 2015
    Preacher Man, Aug 8, 2015
    #11
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  3. Aug 8, 2015 #12
    rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    It depends on the freight but more often than not I'd have to say my bigger money moves I was driving sometime between the hours of 6pm and 6am. When normal people are asleep. I don't mind it though. There are benefits. But that is part of what others won't do and so if you want any kind of a rate you will. Sometimes you can get high dollar runs with decent daylight working hours. But the way freight is right now, well, let's just say it hasn't exactly been a panacea of great rates this year.
     
    rollin coal, Aug 8, 2015
    rollin coal, Aug 8, 2015
    #12
  4. Aug 8, 2015 #13
    Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    I've noticed it's been harder to find good rates, but it has picked up over the past 3 weeks. In my case with my wife watching the boards and staying in touch with agents we have been able to find the loads we are looking for. My wife will book a day, or two out and usually books through Wednesday morning of the next week by Friday of the current week. For us what has helped is jumping on loads right away.
     
    Preacher Man, Aug 8, 2015
    Preacher Man, Aug 8, 2015
    #13
  5. Aug 9, 2015 #14
    sandman1976

    sandman1976 Medium Load Member

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    burgaw,nc
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    Planning ahead for loading and keeping a watchful eye on income\expense ratio will determine your timeline for becoming an independent. You must know that you will be losing the dependability of LS load network and agents though. I do it everyday of the board and if you find,a,good broker you better treat him like gold.
     
    sandman1976, Aug 9, 2015
    sandman1976, Aug 9, 2015
    #14
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  7. Aug 9, 2015 #15
    Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    Actually we have found the same is true at LS when it comes to dependability. My wife prefers to work as much as possible with direct shippers. She has built up a list of her own preferred agents and because of the way we handle loads we have agents who have us on their call list. If I'm not an hour early for pickup, or delivery, I consider myself late. At least 30% of the LS agents need to be cleaned out, but when we run across one of them we just ignore their loads. If you have to call to make sure a load that you have on the board is still available we give you 30 minutes and keep looking in the meantime. At 30 minutes we "fish, or cut bait."
     
    Preacher Man, Aug 9, 2015
    Preacher Man, Aug 9, 2015
    #15
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  8. Aug 9, 2015 #16
    Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

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    Booking ahead is nice, but the good freight is usually booked and loaded the same day, LS gets many loads based on capacity, the customer can't get it moved cheap and waits to the last minute and and calls their LS agent and pays a price to get it moved. The stuff that is on the board loading several days out usually pays less.

    When figuring cost for running on your own you need to think more than CPM, based on what you ran in June your insurance cost would be around 10 to 15% of revenue , now if you run more the percentage would go down, same on all you other fixed cost. Too actually make more running on your own I think you would need to run more, right now if you figure ins, factoring, and other cost , plus giving up fuel and tire discounts with your trailer it would work out to around to gaining about 12%, Your June figures show you received 77% of revenue giving LS only 23% not 35%.everyone says they take 35% but forget to calculate the FSC.
     
    Old Man, Aug 9, 2015
    Old Man, Aug 9, 2015
    #16
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  9. Aug 9, 2015 #17
    Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    I'm not going to get into an argument about how I run my business. I also know the loads and areas that I like to run in. I started this thread to get information about rates working off non Landstar loadboards. I have been in business for 5 years and have a pretty good idea of what my expenses are. Many of the discounts are overblown as to their effect on the bottom line. Even the fuel discount isn't a make, or break issue. It's nice, but if your margin is so close that $75 a week determines a profit, or loss you have a real problem. Just as starting your own business shouldn't be about making more money, this decision isn't primarily about money. I went into business among other reasons for the independence. If I go strictly on my own it will be for the same reasons I started this business to begin with. Don't get me wrong, money is important, but it isn't the object of the game, it's only how you keep score.
     
    Preacher Man, Aug 9, 2015
    Preacher Man, Aug 9, 2015
    #17
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  10. Aug 9, 2015 #19
    jstephens

    jstephens Light Load Member

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    Dec 1, 2013
    dayton ohio
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    ch robinson load board has been horrible this year. i hear internet truck stop site has been ok but havent personally tried it
     
    jstephens, Aug 9, 2015
    jstephens, Aug 9, 2015
    #19
  11. Aug 9, 2015 #19
    rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Preacher Man, just know that going into this thing in the current climate it is going to be an uphill battle. If you think you have a lot of bull #### to sift thru with regards to Landstar agents you ain't seen nothing yet. Not to discourage just that's how it is.

    Sounds like you and your wife are pretty sharp so really you ought to be able to wade thru the chaff and find the wheat. There are some great connections to be made off load boards on last minute stuff but doesn't happen over night.

    If you have contacts with Landstar now hang on to those and check with them to see if they would continue working with you as an independent. That you know what some of their freight was actually paying is a leg up but even so it is still competitive out here.

    What Old Man is saying is true on the outside also, the best LS freight is the last minute gotta go now stuff. But on broker boards right now you'll mostly lose your shirt booking loads the day of. Best to book ahead. Which I don't really care for but that's how it goes.
     
    rollin coal, Aug 9, 2015
    rollin coal, Aug 9, 2015
    #19
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  12. Aug 9, 2015 #20
    hawkjr

    hawkjr Road Train Member

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    Gotta question Preacher Man, how are you only getting $75 a week from fuel rebates or did I read that wrong? I'm averaging around $150-$200 a week on rebates if I run more than 1700 miles. Of course I just fuel at Petros & T/A's.

    In bad areas here at LS you gotta book ahead or pray. Sometimes neither one works but still just gotta develop a strategy. Every since nursery season came to an end I deadhead out of Savannah to Columbia or at times Charlotte.

    But honestly speaking man unless you got some direct, good work lined up then I wouldn't leave LS. Trust me I'm far from a cheerleader but I know a few independent O/O's pulling Vans off of boards are struggling. I wanna leave LS to find some local work but just nothing around here in VA worth the buzz yet. I hope it works out for you
     
    hawkjr, Aug 9, 2015
    hawkjr, Aug 9, 2015
    #20
    Dominick253 and blairandgretchen Thank this.
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