QRe: Landstar info please
I laugh at the people who put down the LEA system just because they think that they will not get treated fairly. In their eyes that somehow equates to central dispatching being automatically fairer for them.
Forget about Landstar, the people that think that really have no idea how the world works period.
In every aspect of life there is something called "the inside track".
Maybe you've heard of it?
It's that magical lane in the race of life where everything just seems to get easier.
The funny thing is, it's not really that hard to find. You can schmooze, network, suck up, do all the favours you want but the truth is if you just plain old do a great job that the people you work with will remember you by, you will find the inside track, trust me.
For the record, I have no affiliation with LS, and every driving/owner op job I've ever had has been with some variant of a "central dispatching" system.
It matters not to me the nature of the system, it only matters to me that the people that operate within it are aware of my professionalism, both in my dealings with dispatch and the customer.
There is no such thing as an honest dispatcher, auctioneer, real estate agent, lawyer etc. Some are just more honest than others.
Every dispatcher/agent in every company has their favourite list and their
list. I know which list I want to be on and I do what needs to be done to make sure I'm on that list. Funny thing is, almost all the time it doesn't require me to buy anybody lunch, hookers, cigarettes, booze or anything.
Most of the time the only requirement to make the "good" list is for me to be
dependable and professional in all aspects of my work. That's what people will remember the most just as they will remember you if you are the opposite.
In my almost 30 years in a dispatch/driver environment (taxi, bus & courier), it's been my experience that the whiners out there that cry the blues about "fairness" are the ones that are the least professional both in their appearance and their work ethic, but expect to be treated the same as the people who excel at both because in their books that somehow is fair.
I know for a fact that I get preferential treatment where I am. Why?
Cuz dispatch knows they can trust me not to screw things up, it's that simple.
Sure, I'll bring a round of coffees for the office staff when I stop by. Do you think that in itself will get me some good runs? Not if I'm incompetent it won't.
We all know that since the barrier to entry in this business is pretty low, the majority of drivers/owner ops in this business are nothing but seat warming steering wheel holders, so when someone actually does a good job, believe me, it stands out!
Look at it this way, if you have a fussy but good customer, do you think the dispatcher wants to listen to the customer chew them out on the phone because of the lack of professionalism and/or tardiness on the driver's part? Of course not. The dispatcher isn't even going to take a chance on someone who is either unreliable or even someone new to the company who hasn't proven themselves yet. You will get passed over and rightly so.
Get over this fairness crap and just learn how to get the inside track (in everything you do)!
Cheers!
