The ugly truth about Landstar

Artisan:
I am considering leasing one of my trucks to Landstar. We have our own authority and I have dispatched these trucks for several years. I am over it. Dispatching is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I feel like I am having a heart attack at least twice a day, and I am fairly young. I am starting a new business adventure and would like to lease at least one truck. I am leaning toward landstar because they are the best to deal with broker wise. It seems the loads are usually what they are supposed to be specs wise and time wise, and landstar loads pay the best (and from my understanding bco get a lot more than we do as independents). Currently this is how I operate: I never take less than $2 per mile with deadhead included. We have costs coming out of that amount but not 30% like I hear landstar now charges. We probably are not getting the fuel discounts you get as I use a not so good fuel card company. $2 per mile with deadhead is usually $2.30 and up. And I usually get well over $2 per mile with the deadhead anyway, but that is my minimum unless it is an emergency to come home. I need to make a good bit more in order to afford to pay for the driver I need in a landstar truck. I have my regulations up so high now and still get bad drivers and we do not require hazmat currently. So trucks are sitting half the time. I figure if I can afford to pay a company driver $0.45 per mile then maybe I can land a good driver who will last with landstar. Any ideas on how we would compare under landstar with a 53 step? Thanks!

 

Getting Drivers signed on with us is going to be your hardest part...I have watched this over and over and over....Landstar are real a-holes when it comes to the ''hiring''..

 

Haven't you all read the threads?? Landstar is "horrible" and a "terrible place to work" and they "rob you all of money" ....... so please don;t lease on here.






and keep the freight here for me

 

I would like to know, if not landstar then who else?

 

Hey Jeff we pull for landstar and right now we have a decided with CGI, We have pulled for them before and as of yet we have not been cancelled on any loads. I have had a few cancel from the elk grovve to miami a few times. As for booking the runs that far in advance, My partner has tried that, and I find that it is better to do just 3 days, and of course as with any well laid plain there is murphys law. If it can go wrong it will, its part of the business.

Pat

 

What won't requirement? Heard from a couple of friends they got a call about having to have one installed or they'd be fired. Told ls they'd save them the trouble and quit. But they didn't elaborate.

 

All new drivers who lease on are required to have a EOBR, as of Jan 1st, 2013.

I have been leased here for a year and a half and have not been told I have ot get a EOBR. They have offered them to me, but I just turned it down. EOBR will also be mandated if you have too many log violations or get too many CSA points. I know several guys who have been forced to get a EOBR or leave their lease due to many log violations. To be honest, I think they needed a EOBR anyways, because if you can't figure out how to log a fuel stop on paper, then you don't need paper logs. That is the only way they can track my truck is by where I use my fuel card. My trailer does not have Skybitz tracking, but the company van trailers do, so that will get ya in the butt too.

 

Sorry stupid auto correct at least you knew what I was talking about. Thanks for the info didn't know they put that requirement in. I know what you mean about logs. Log violations shouldn't happen, that's just plain stupid.

 

SHC do you own your own trailer? If so how do you like it compared to pulling theirs? I was leased to Landstar for a total of 1 whole week and after I got my permits and hooked to trailer it was end of week so I brought to house and over weekend wife found a lump near breast so we decided to sell truck to get a job with insurance. I called Landstar and explained situation and they said they understood. Now wife is good, just an infection pocket and I would like to get a truck and do it again but I will have to wait a while. I was told to come back if I ever wanted to but I was just wondering about owning trailer compared to pulling theirs. Have a great day.

Terry