Wondering what the rates from Landstar are looking like lately? Do any of you get loads from them and can you let me know what the rates are averaging?

 

Their rates are as cheap as everyone else. There is so much double brokering going on that it is really keeping rates down. There are those with cheap and others with better rates. It is a matter of finding an agent who has rates that you can live with.

 

Dry van pulling a company trailer is 65%.

 

Anyone Work with Landstar????

As of today they have 8356 contractors. A lot of someones work there.

 

I've pulled a couple of loads for them recently. Pay was very good and they paid fast but they take $1.75 I think it was for not having high amounts of insurance. Boy they sure can nickel and dime you to death.

 

There have been several on this forum who have leased to Landstar. Are you asking about their brokered rates or those offered to their BCO's (owner operators)?

 

Curious about both actually.

 

I have leased to Landstar as a BCO and brokered freight from them under my own authority. It has been some years since I leased to them but I don't think they have changed much in the way they do business with owner operators. BCO is their name for owner operator. It stands for Business Capacity Owner. The percentage is supposed to be a little higher if you run your own authority than if you lease to them. They are supposed to give the broker carriers 80% of the line haul and 65% or 73% as a BCO, depending on whether you have your own trailer. Whether you lease to them or act as a broker carrier they have a lot of small fees that they charge. Their favorite charge amount is $1.75. I have had a good relationship with them in both capacities. They are very anal about logs and a few other issues when you lease to them. Some do well and others starve. There isn't much difference in how you operate when you deal with them in either capacity. The main difference is that they handle all the paperwork when you lease to them. And there are some loads that I know pay their BCO's more than they pay broker carriers. I have also known the opposite to be true.

You find agents that have decent paying freight and you try to continue working with them. When you run your authority you will be dealing with more brokers. Landstar agents are basically like brokers who work for the same company. I would like to give you some rates but they can vary significantly according to the type of freight and where you run. You can even find different agents with the same load who offer it at a different rate, even to BCO's.

Landstar will tell new BCO's that it takes about 5-6 months to learn their system. There are no dispatchers. It is up to you to find your own loads and dispatch yourself. My experience has been positive with them in both capacities. You need to expect that no matter where you go and whether you lease on to a carrier or get your own authority, things will be slow and rates will be down. That is just the way it is right now. I have always preferred running my own authority. I know others who have run their authority and prefer leasing to a carrier.

 

I'm leased with LS.

LS is a perfect fit for those that either had their authority and quit or those that can't stand dispatchers, I fit in both categories. If you are thinking of leasing on wait, freight is terrible both in volume and revenue and given the time needed to learn the system I think it would be very tough to get started in todays climate.

As for LS's policies, they're Nazis. They make jump though hoops signing on and a phone call from Jacksonville is never good, you learn real quick to let any call from 904 area code to go to voice mail. The majority of the compliance and safety people have no clue what we do out here and they don't care to, if the computer says you screwed up then that's that.

Customer service will stand behind you if you are in the right, LS is all about safety. If you have an issue with an agent or customer that can't be resolved and you haven't done anything to create the problem c.s. will stand behind you, at least that has been my experience.

I had a good Jan., I worked one week in Feb. and sat for most of March. April has started out ok but looking at the board and talking to agents that I like to haul for it sounds like things are drying up again, I manage to find good paying freight but it takes more time these days.

Hope this helps some.

 

Landstar is among the largest carriers in the country. They have a huge diversified freight base. In fact, other carriers have mimicked the way they compensate owner operators. JB Hunt has a program that they have been selling to those with their own authority that is similar to that of a Landstar BCO. The only difference is that these people need to have additional insurance and their own authority, but the compensation is about the same as an owner operator. But Landstar's business is off like every other carrier large or small. As chiefwhatdahey stated, Landstar works for those who don't like to have a dispatcher or previously run their own authority. It is a better choice for those who are self motivated and prefer finding their own freight. You make it or break it based upon your own efforts. When I leased to them I was never pressured to run.

Although they nickel and dime you to death with their little charges for various things I think that I met more who have had longevity than most other carriers. Those who lease to them seem to like the way Landstar does business. You will find very quickly if a new owner operator will make it in their system. They do make it much more difficult to lease on than they should. It seems to take forever for them to reach a decision.