Landstar load board

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by John Joel Glanton, Dec 16, 2024.

  1. John Joel Glanton

    John Joel Glanton Light Load Member

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    Do you Landstar BCOs only deal with direct shippers? Meaning, American Landstar agents. I have never booked a load through the others and I’ve tried. They never even have those loads they post. When I filter to view only direct shippers it drastically cuts the number of loads but I think this is the best way to search. Why waste time on the foreigners nonsense? Or do some of them actually come through with loads?
     
    77fib77 Thanks this.
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  3. dosgatos

    dosgatos Medium Load Member

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    It's going to take time to get familiar with LS. Everybody has to go through it. Not all last long enough to figure it out what with break downs and giving it all to a shop. Some make it 20 years do well then lay over in the ditch and have to go home. I have about 8 agents I rely on and I'm not telling you about any of them except they're mostly foreign.
    Remember the one thing all businesses have in common is that sooner or later they all go under.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
     
  4. 77fib77

    77fib77 Road Train Member

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    It's a push. I normally don't go only direct shippers. A lot of the freight isn't owned by the poster of the board that's for sure.
     
    John Joel Glanton Thanks this.
  5. John Joel Glanton

    John Joel Glanton Light Load Member

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    Maybe I’ll keep the search open to all options for now. I’ve called dozens of these agents and I always get the “let me check if that’s still available and I’ll call you right back.” Then they never call back.

    Another time I booked a load and dead headed 180 miles to the pickup and nobody was there. Agent suddenly went ghost when I asked for a TONU and finally replied hours later with the pdf for the lousy $150. No sorry for wasting your whole day. Thank you. Nothing. Shady business.

    My buddy filters for direct shippers only and suggested I do the same.
     
    blairandgretchen, Vampire and 77fib77 Thank this.
  6. Antinomian

    Antinomian Road Train Member

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    That's not what direct shipper means. It means the agent has a contract with the shipper.
     
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  7. 77fib77

    77fib77 Road Train Member

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    It was bad last Friday called a bunch same deal. I turned on direct shipper and called then I got a load. Maybe it's like every two months I get a day like that.
     
  8. John Joel Glanton

    John Joel Glanton Light Load Member

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    Yes I understand. Just saying in my limited experience every direct shipper has been an American professional with good communication and actual loads available. Every non-direct shipper has been a European or Indian who has to “check with the customer” then never gets back to me. Or calls me back hours later and when I say I got another load just curses and hangs up.
     
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  9. dosgatos

    dosgatos Medium Load Member

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    There are foreign agents listing "direct" loads but they aren't. They're handling CHR loads so have access to CHR's board but they still have to confirm. Keep accurate notes on all your calls and you'll filter as you go in the future.
    Also be more direct during your initial contact. Let them know all the deal breakers up front. There's an agent group I avoid but the loads are listed under another agent code not related. Then I call and get transferred and I don't realize who I'm talking to until paperwork shows up. Now I ask "are you working under "X" agency? Also I don't accept tql loads, is this a tql load?"
    Also I ask how long it will be before they get back to me. If they say 10 minutes then I answer "I'll wait 10 minutes and please let me know either way" If they don't call back I put it in my notes. It's the burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me.
    Also the $$$ amount listed should be considered a bid rate, not a guaranteed rate. And you get to negotiate. And also ask for tolls with the amount you want when you email back to confirm the load. Landstar has to approve the toll amount so I don't ask for a fantasy amount. Use a toll calculator. They know about what the amount should be for the lane. And getting tolls doesn't mean I have to go the toll route. I can ask for Indiana-Ohio tolls and still take US30.
     
  10. John Joel Glanton

    John Joel Glanton Light Load Member

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    Good info. I appreciate it. Ran through WV the other day and hit three $14 tolls.
     
    Vampire Thanks this.
  11. PureLeafTea

    PureLeafTea Light Load Member

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    Run from landstar. Their model needs to change and they refuse. Giving that much revenue for loads most agents get off load boards is insane. Plenty of companies only taking 10-12%. And yes they’ll probably be foreigners, but they work harder and actually take time to find you a load. Today you have better things to do than try to drive and book freight. The biggest problem with landstar is the agents aren’t exclusive meaning they don’t have to use you and they have no customers of their own. They have to call and see if the load was “covered by my customer.” It 95% of the time will be because it’s broker freight! Don’t believe the lies that you have to give it time, you will learn to work with certain agents, etc. Most of the agents don’t want to help anyone new. If you are leased to them reading this and you think it works I guarantee I can show you 25k or more you have given them each year for NOTHING!

    Forget landstar!
     
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