Truck Topics
Landstar Express America Open House
"Our recruiting efforts are not about just adding numbers of trucks," said Darin Mark, Director of Recruiting and Retention at Landstar Express America. "We're looking for qualified, experienced expediters who want to be treated as truly independent business owners."
Mark made these opening comments at the Landstar Open House recently held at the Holiday Inn Express in Monroe, MI. It consisted of five sessions that were held over two days and were attended by a number of veteran owner/operators and fleet owners.
The approximately two hour meetings were intentionally kept modest in size and informal in nature. As evidence of the low-key atmosphere in the meeting, attendees were encouraged to ask questions at any time during the presentation.
Sharing the duties of presenting the Landstar business opportunity was Jeff Garra, BCO Recruiter and Retention Agent. Garra gave a basic overview of Landstar's history as a truckload, LTL and multi-modal carrier, and its financial stability.
Throughout the sessions, the differences between the Landstar business model and that of other expedited carriers was highlighted. (Landstar Express America carrier profile)
Mark and Garra stressed that the Landstar system is unique in expediting and consists of three basic components:
Corporate
This component of the company provides the support and compliance staff. This staff ensures that the BCO's run safely, answers questions from the drivers and works with problem and issue resolution. Corporate also oversees recruiting, retention and other owner/operator services.
Agents
Rather than utilizing a centralized company location with a large dispatching department, the company instead has a nationwide series of around 50 regional LEA agents - independent contractors who work exclusively for Landstar. Each of these agents is accessible (through toll-free numbers) by Landstar BCO's (Business Capacity Owners).
BCO's
The recruiters say that LEA's system offers its independent owner/operators true independence of movement, layover choices and load selection with no dispatch refusal or out-of-service penalties imposed on the contractors.
Because of the truly independent nature of the contractor/company relationship at Landstar Express America, self-reliance and self-motivation are key elements in the success of a BCO with this company. The LEA system does require more "pro-activity" than that of conventional dispatch methods, but by the same token, this can mean the difference between a full truck and an empty one.
As Darin Mark phrased it, "Our greatest strength (and weakness) is freedom." This was in reference to Landstar's Business Capacity Owners (BCO's) being completely free to operate their business as they desire. By the same token, it also referred to the BCO's increased responsibility in making informed business decisions.
During the meetings, the two company representatives touched on other qualities that they believe make Landstar different:
A true "Open Door" policy which means that Landstar BCO's are welcome to meet with corporate personnel from all departments, including dispatch. Darin Mark also related anecdotes about company president Ron Stanley's eagerness to meet with all of the company's independent business people and the ways in which Landstar offers support services for new BCO's. Landstar has minimal Canadian-bound loads (estimated at less than 5%). A BCO may exercise his own discretion whether to accept these transborder runs. If the time sensitivity of a load(s) will allow, multi-loading of a truck is permitted. The company maintains its' own Landstar system-wide Internet load board from which BCO's are encouraged to secure loads. The only Hours of Service restrictions that Landstar imposes on its BCO's are the DOT regulations, which the company scrupulously observes. Example: On a longer mileage load of say, 1500 miles for a single driver, Landstar agents may possibly arrange an extended delivery time enabling the driver to remain in HOS compliance. Landstar encourages BCO's to get to know one another to help and support one their fellow drivers. The company will support its BCO's on safety issues. For example, if a driver feels that weather or road conditions will delay him from safely continuing on a run, the company will back that BCO's decision to wait until conditions improve. Landstar BCO's can access the company Internet location for information about:- other trucks' locations
-An express center's activity levels and the where the busy agents are located If a BCO has no Internet access, he can call the Jacksonville office and the support staff will assist him in determining where the active regions are.
Darin Mark and Jeff Garra also informed the group of the new business at Landstar Express America:
-A growing part of Landstar's business is arms, ammunition and explosives hauling for the government.
This type of transport requires specialized training, but it represents a great financial opportunity.
-Landstar has replaced the Highway Master communication system with the industry standard - Qualcomm. The change began in January and most of the fleet is now on the new system.
-The recruiters stated that 87% of all Landstar loads have attached fuel surcharges. One hundred percent of the surcharge is paid to the truck.
Landstar will present an Open House at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville, IN on April 21 and 22.