Landstar Bashing

[terryandrene]

Dave:

Same deal as Panther; however, unlike your dedicated backhaul section, we must arrange with our respective contacts during daytime work hours. I've talked to a couple of drivers that had lost their 'found' load while their contact was doing his thing. I haven't heard any success stories

 

[LDB]

>You also only get 62 percent of a load instead of 75 or 85
>that others pay.
>George

This does remind me of one thing I will say to bash them. They pay LEAM trucks 62%. They pay tractors in their 53' divisions 68% for pulling a Landstar trailer and 75% for pulling an O/O owned trailer. My D unit truck has it's own "trailer" so why wasn't I paid an extra 7% at least or for that matter 75%? I do find it disagreeable that they pay a lower percentage to LEAM than even to a bobtail t/t driver. I'd still consider returning to them if I had to leave Panther for some reason but I do think they should raise LEAM to be in line with the other divisions.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[Moot]

Ken,

If Landstar doesn't hold your hand like how do you get up in the morning to pick up a load? Do you like have to set an alarm clock to wake you up. How bogus is that man. Like I got people who like call me and ask if I'm up and awake. And they keep calling me. Like how rightous is that dude. You should find a new carrier and throw that alarm clock away. It's like a new century or millenium and the dudes that rule are the dudes that have a carrier for the new millenium or century or whatever man. I got people that take care of me. It's all about people, my people. You can't make it in this business without people. Important people have people. and cats. Free Bobby!

 

[mrgoodtude]

Great responses with little negative, appreciate all the feedback but still curious about the availability of freight and locations of the express centers. As a "BCO" do you ever think twice about accepting a load to say Oregon or Washington state? Do you actually see team runs on the board? I have looked at their load board online and did not see that much "C" and "D" freight much less temp control etc. Please I am intrigued.
Mike and Cyn

 

[davekc]

Mike,
When we have used them, they do have a board but it doesn't include much of the expedite freight. We have several agents that we call for that information. For us it depends on the region of the country we are looking. Their drivers have access all the time.
What we have found is some loads pay real well, and some are real cheap.








Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[targuard86]

I had a D unit with them for a year and our experience was that you should not take a load to the North West. My driver did 2 times and ended up deadheading to SLC both times.

I pulled my truck from them and went to FCC because I could not see what my driver was doing or turning down. He would complain that he wasn't getting loads but I had no idea if he was turning down good loads. When I put him with FCC he lasted 2 weeks because I could see what he was doing.....or in his case, not doing.

If your a people person, LEA is a good place. If you'd prefer to get a computer message and push "yes or no" your better off with another company. I also would not recomend then for a fleet owner for the above reason.

 

[SHARP327]

I've been reluctant to take loads to places such as ID., WA. and OR. but when I've ended up in those places I've always ended up with a good load out, I don't run in the north west during the winter but that's just my choice.

LEAM BCO's don't get to search for Express loads from load boards, we receive offers from various agents across the country, we can check out the load boards of ranger and other divisions but we've never taken a sister load due to everyone taking a piece of the pie and we'd only end up with crumbs, but that's not to say we wouldn't because $.50 a mile is better than nothing if you need to get some where such as home etc.

I also agree that LEAM should be treated the same as the rest of Landstar when it comes to percentages but all in all I've found a home after being with two other carriers in the past.

 

[LDB]

As already mentioned, you can't go to a website and pull up expedite loads. You can go to one that shows load history for any location you put in. It will show how many loads in each truck category along with which express center booked them. If Atlanta for instance books quite a few loads out of Timbuktu and you are taking a load there that delivers at 0800 in two days you can call Atlanta and tell them you are on your way and will be available about 0900 in two days. If they know they have a truck available they may start now to book a load for then. If you see that nobody does any loads unless you go at least 374 miles from Timbuktu then you may decide not to accept the load or at least not without some extra to get you the 374 miles to Timbuksix. Their online resources seem extremely good.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[ATeam]

>Let me ask a hypothetical. At the moment we're in Topeka,
>Kansas. Our home is Minnesota, near Minneapolis/Saint Paul.
>Say we wanted to get home under load, not instantly, but in
>as direct a fashon as possible.
>===============================================
>Now that sounds scary Phil. You can put your truck in
>Panther Elite with the reefer and additionally book the
>loads you want. You set the rate and direction of travel.
>And yes, you can haul Landstar loads as well. Actually, more
>than one at times with some pretty decent rates. As for
>Topeka, Panther has averaged two loads a day for the last 21
>according to their system.
>Sure beats deadheading with fuel at $3.00 a gallon or
>sitting for days

My hypothetical question was simply to help get more information into a thread about how the Landstar system works. It was good to see Landstar drivers responding and I thought it would also be good to get info straight from the horse's mouth about picking your loads.

Scary? I don't understand what you mean. As long as FedEx keeps us running as well as they have in our three years with them, it does not matter how well Panther Elite or LEA is doing. We'll stay where the grass is already green. We're not in Topeka for freight reasons. The freight brought us close and we went out of service to get a camera system installed on our truck.

FedEx is keeping us plenty busy in our new CR unit. You were boasting in a previous thread that after the Conway purchase, Panther was able to get one of your trucks quickly out of the West. Good for you!

In the month of July, we made virtually all of our money west of the Mississippi. Except for one pickup in Illinois and one delivery in Iowa, all July pickups and deliveries were west of the Mississippi. We had a good month.

Regarding Topeka, whiile we were sitting here, out of service for the camera install, dispatch called asking if we could go back into service to take a load to Texas. It would have been a good run; $2.05 per mile, all miles (including deadhead). Sadly, we had to decline due to the camera install.

You can negative spin FedEx all you want, Dave. I trust readers see I do not do the same to Panther or any other carrier. You might recall that I congratulated Panther on becomming number one (in terms of unit count) after the Conway purchase. I plan to buy Panther stock when it becomes publicly available. Still, Diane and I are happy campers at FedEx (pun intended) and hope to remain so for 15 years into the future.

Regarding getting home, we're on the road most of the year and seldom go home. We have not had occasion to even try FedEx's program for getting home, as that program stands today. I know they made some changes to it for the better since it first came out. I'll leave it to others to talk about it.

Panther may well have a better getting-home program than FedEx. Since we seldom go home, it is not a meaningful benefit. But for others who want to get home a lot, it might well be something worth looking into. The FedEx program is worth keeping an eye on. They seem to be tweaking it over time to turn it into something good.

 

[stewart the dog]

As far as taking a load to the nortwest is concerned when we take a load to this region for landstar and can't get a load back out on a timely fashion we get really depressed and are forced to park our truck and just take a vacation for a few days. But no biggie because we made enough money on the load to afford the vacation time and to deadhead out even with $3.00+ diesel.
For the companies that are paying more than Landstars .62%,from talking to drivers from those other companies their higher percentage pay is coming from a substantially smaller gross. Also according to landline(OOIDA) landstar is the only company that gives 100% of the fuel surcharge to the truck.

 

[davekc]

Stewart,
I would revisit the ooida site and recheck your information. Landstar is not the only company that pays 100 percent of the fuel surcharge.
Additionally, since you mentioned OOIDA, they are currently involved in a class action lawsuit against Landstar. It appears based on limited information, that it is in the appeals process.
For information, you can visit www.ooida.com and search all the legal information regarding this suit. A google search will likely bring up some information as well.
Since it is in the appeals process, it is hard to tell if the claim against Landstar is valid or not.








Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[mrgoodtude]

Thank's for all the informative responses...I had no idea that LEA gave you load offers, was under the impression you had to broker your own loads (IE review load boards and bid on loads). I have been interested in them since we started but unfortunate for us was Cynthia's lack of experience. We really like what we do and we love the freedom but sometimes I hunger for a little more control over our income and our future and as it has been stated you don't see or hear about turnover issues when it comes to the Star.
Mike

 

[ATeam]

No matter how happy you may be with your current carrier, it is wise to remain informed about others too, in case your Plan B has to become your Plan A.

We're positively impressed with Landstar as one of our Plan B choices. The freedom to pick your loads that you refer to has its appeal but it comes at a price; that being it cuts into your free time between loads.

I've watched Landstar people work the boards. The better loads get snapped up quickly, as you would naturally expect. Your chances of getting a better load are directly proportional to the amount of time you spend on the board.

We once had an extended conversation with a Landstar team. While we visited, the wife kept the board open and refreshed it several times a minute looking for a good load that would take them in the direction they wished to go. They found an OK load and immediately began looking for a second load they could use to double up and make the run more worthwhile. Over the course of a couple hours, they found that too.

We left feeling pretty good about FedEx's dispatch program. When we wait for loads, we literally wait. FedEx will call or Qualcomm us with a load offer. We don't surf boards to find freight. Between offers, our time is ours. Having tourism and other interests as we do, we have plenty to do in that time and prefer to do that instead of surf boards looking for freight.

A fleet driver running for Landstar or a carrier that has a good backhaul program has the best of both worlds. You drive the truck and get offers from your carrier. If you are sitting and your carrier has nothing for you, your fleet owner surfs the boards for you. The downside of that is also a loss of freedom since you have a fleet owner in your life.

 

[KYoung]

Moot - Like I said Landstar doesn't hold our hand, they treat us like responsible adults not little children who can't think or act on their own. Since the agents CALL US with load offers, we don't have to look for loads so we can sleep and get up when we are rested. LAndstar ain't my momma, I am responsible enough to get up on my own, I'll use my alarm so I can set my own get up time. Besides, The only people I want calling me when I'm trying to sleep is the ones with load offers.

DON'T CONFUSE EXPRESS WIITH CARRIER GROUP - RANGER, INWAY AND LIGON, These are the guys you see working load boards, the only reason an express driver would look at the load boards is if they want to go to a certain area, or double load on a trip and want to see what is available. The carrier group are totally different in the way their loads are offered and presented to them, most will book loads days in advance and may look for partials to make and extra buck. And yes Epress drivers can double up if they have room and time, we've picked up sister loads, with an express loads so we could make extra bucks.

Sure we may only get 62% of the gross, but usually the gross is much higher than other compaines.

Ken
LEAM 4474

 

[triumph]

No bashing here, just the facts. Have been expediting as a team since '94, and have experienced many of the ups and downs of this expedited business. The first carrier we stayed nearly 10 years, the second one only less than a year. In March of this year we decided to put our truck on with LEAM and have regreted it since. As a team we are averaging less than 2,000 mile per week and DH is around 40%. We accept all offers (about 2 per week). The runs we are offered are usually all team runs, but the weekly average rarely exceeds 2,000 loaded miles.

Maybe it's been a weird year for many, but we have never run so poorly until signing on with Landstar.

 

[grog111]

started at landstar june 14th. kinda slow so far. but it is a different system. so i imagine there is a learning curve. heard it will pick up in the fall. but then again i've been going out west a lot and getting stuck there. a lot of should i stay or should i go conversations in my head. but again it's a learning process.

 

[Runninwolf]

I applied for Landstar 7 months ago. The process to be hired on was time consuming. (Over a month) Of course I was not hired I was turned down for what I believed to be a dismissed felony charge. ???
However I was pretty set Landstar was the company for me. So I reapplied 6 months later. After I had this dismissed felony charge exsponged from my record. Guess what I was denied again by Landstar. I still to this day I no idea why was was hired and they will not give me a reason why. After taking to several other people about Landstar it semms this happens more than you would think. Oh, its legal for them to not hire you and to not provide you with the reason. My opinion, you better have all your ducks in a row if you want to get hired on with Landstar. I just wanted to state that I have never been denied employment in my life. What a kick in the teeth.

 

[davekc]

You are trying to qualify as an independent contractor rather than a employee. They can deny you for any reason. They are not obligated to contract your services whether you meet their qualifications or not.









Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[TinInTheWind]

I received information last week from FedX that they are not currently contracting cargo vans. However, they did have a waiting list. Does that mean this is a slow time for FedX cargo van freight?

Thanks for a response