Hmmm, I did containers from 96 thru 2003 as an owner operator I went thru 2 trucks. What an experience. I learned alot about the container business though. 18 hour days and going around scales in the middle of the night. I live in Battle Creek Mi and I worked out of Romulus Mi. Place called Marine Transport. I was always chasing the clock and never really thought about the 18 hour days. I just start out about 9 o'clock in the evening so I could get into Chicago about 1 or 2 o'clock. Had the town pretty much to myself between then and 5 in the morning. After 5 in the morning I would start to panic as I needed to be down the road to meet my appointment times. Parking was another thing at that time. That was an adventure in it self. Dead tired and head bobbing I would hit a rest area only to have to drive thru as it was full. I had a spot that I felt pretty safe parking at if needed but did not want to use it up to often. I could sleep any way anyhow at the snap of a finger too. At times I would park just past a rest area and put my head down on the steering wheel and do a power nap. I would wake up sometimes and look out the wind shield and think I was going to rear end the trailer parked ahead of my truck, thats how tired I was at all times. I would not remember going home at times as it was just for maybe 4 hours or so because I would finally roll back thru town from Detroit around 5 or so with a load going to Chicago. Geez I am getting goose bumps just bringing up these memories. I could write A book on all my adventures hanging around Chicago rail yards at night. I now work with Maverick express out of Battle creek. Home every night and no week ends and I make way more than I did with those containers. I got very, very lucky and I do mean that.

Frank

 

hey there banditt i also live in battle creek. and yes i hauled containers for a whopping 3 days. wont veer do it again. pay sucked for the long hours and equipment witch did look good was nto in the best of mechanical shape, unless you were someone who had been ther for a while and got one of the brand new trucks.

 

I drove my four wheeler about 40 miles to orientation and walked into the classroom.The instructor was a roadstar and he said that for us to have walked through his door, we had to be the best that the company had picked.
The company was Landstar.
It has been three weeks and many are called but very few do make it.Let's see if I make it.Please don't ask how I got in.

 

You know when I was on-the-road I always went to Land star drivers (a lot since consenses was they were the best truckers), explained I was a company driver and trainer, and wanted to know how things were going as I want to owner OP some day. Its an understatement that they didnt feel like they were getting treated like the company, 'best.'
Look I am not trying to rain-on-your parade. This may be the best decision you made, who has a crystal ball out there, but I do agree that there were problems either way you went and have traded one in for another. Doubt you will get home often and make $ (in combination, 1 or the other) as a container driver you were home every day, but if you are not a family man that wouldnt be a problem?
Hmmm not to be all gloom and hope to help and not hinder, say have you bought a lap-top with wireless connection and somewhat know how to use it? The reason being 4 years ago when I was asking that they said that Landstar was going on-line and the guys with computers were grapping the good loads first, you should be able to p/u a decent lap-top pretty inexpensively since you dont need high end graphics. just type and have a connection. Small computer companies will answer any questions to sell you the computer and should be informative about exactly how you can use this in your new business.

 

Trust me I walked into orientation with a laptop and a T mobile wifi and GPRS signal(anywhere not just a hotspot).I have already setup my load alerts and "follow me" feature in their system.I even bought a generator because I couldn't afford an APU.I have a 2200 watt gen. right on top of the battery and a truck battery charger right above that.I installed all this because of the amount of gadgets I have in the truck.I even bought a big cooler and 3 in 1 printer to do my BOL.I do some scanning and attachments through an online program to get paid.This is almost like TRIPAK.The only thing I am missing is E-fax.All my gadgets are going into the 2000 watta power inverter except the space heater and microwave that uses the power from the gen.I have already been over-the road and no I have no family to report to.Freight is just slow at the moment with Landstar except those cheap freight on the load board.

 

Yeah slow everywhere now as you probably remember this is the slow time; should p/u in a couple of months or so (am crossing my fingers) just try to survive till then, good luck....Say little off topic, how much did the generator and power generating gadgets run ya, can you break them down si I can consider them.
Well I remember as a company driver I was always blowing alternators and havin battery probs cuz I had my gadgets rinning, didnt care tho, company truck and since they stranded me a lot places and hung me out way past home time, and forced dispatched me least I could do to pay them back
But now with my truck, new ball game, lol, want to spare myself that headache, that sounds the way to go

 

Don't be surprised if this doesn't change even when things pick up.
The load board at Landstar is generally not known for the best rates,the ideal thing to do would be to try to get hooked up with one or more good agents and try to work with just them,as they become more familiar with you they will feed you better loads,I made the most money running for Landstar when I was exclusive to one agent.

 

1. 5.5HP generator from Big Lots-Pro source 2000watt(3500 watt peak) $199
2.Coolmate Portable electric cooler, 40 US quarts from Petro-$$89
3.Vector maxx Power inverter at 1200 watt and 2200watt peak from PepBoys-$109
3.Schumaker AC Battery charger/booster from Pepboys(up to 200amps of boost)-$99
The DVD ,TV Microwave,antenna power booster and small stove is all unrelated.All these are protected by two surge protectors with 6 AC outlets on each.
The only mistake I made was with the Generator, because the DB rating is 72 and I would have liked somewhere around 62DB.The truck is still louder than the generator when idling.It rains and pours on the generator and it still cranks.
I have ran the battery dead many times and when I crank the Gen. and give the truck's battery at least 200amps of boosts for about 3 minutes it cranks right up.I am only missing one more thing in the summer time and that will be a small portable AC unit that recycles itself and not one of those window Ac units.They go for $200 on ebay and about $400 at Home Depot.

 

Say one last thing, where did you mount the generator? How did that work out?

 

It sits right in between the ferrin and the headache rack.FLDs have a space right on top of the battery box.I have also secured the Gen. with Bungee cords from its' frame to the step handle.To deter thieves I have also secured the Gen. with a biker cable lock and a padlock.The charger/booster is elevated behind the headache rack and also secured by Bungee cords.I even ran a battery terminal cable from the input/output side of the battery terminal to the terminals of the booster and the neg. connection is going to the rack.
Now back to Landstar, they seem to hire many and almost all don't make it.I don't see anyone making it with Landstar with a truck note or no laptop.8,880 O/O on the road with little freight to share but the cheap ones.Yes, I don't think it will pick up much even when It picks.I had agents lie to me my first week but I learned my lesson and I know what questions to ask when booking a load.