They pay for your fuel though right?

Doesn't matter. They just called back and asked if I had a headboard. The load is 54' long and can't hang over the back the whole way. So much for that load.

 

That's it, that's all in, every bit of that .55/mile goes to the BCO!

Of course you know I don't believe that guys who use Landstar brokerage are doing anything wrong. It's an HQ decision. I'm just wondering if they are brokering out more now and if that has contributed to what appears to be a bigtime slow down since last year.

Rank and Gman, I still want to follow up. It's just this 'work' thing, messes up my internet time. :x

 

Ya, just all of a sudden they are calling me and emailing me about loads. I setup with them last year and never heard a word from them until the other day.

What is BCO?

 

"Buisness Capacity Owner"

Fancy wording for O/O,Slave,Another #

 

I hate it when work interfers with my internet time. :lol:

Cam, these carriers are going to do what is in their best interest or makes them the most money. There has been a general slowdown in this business since last year. It isn't just Landstar. However, it could also have something to do with where you are running. There are areas of this country where freight is typically dead or slow. Unfortunately, I think it will continue to be somewhat slow this year. Not like it has been, but slower than usual. You just need to work a little smarter to make a good living. I have seen rates come up. I also see more availability of freight. Don't get discouraged. Things always get better.

 

Man it's hot in Cali today. But, I got loaded a day early and now I can take my desperately needed beauty rest, wash my nasty body and maybe click off 100 miles or two. Right now, I'm listening to George Tenet's new book.

Rank, yeah I remember that thread. I re-read a lot of it though, there is useful info in there.

Steve, at Landstar we are not mere O/Os :lol:

G-money, I'm cooling out on the brokered freight thing right now. I keep my ear to the ground and my eyes wide open but it sounds as though it could all be due to the general freight slowdown. I also post to a fledgling Landstar board and one of the experienced guys over there thinks the situation at Landstar is just a reflection of the overall situation in the country right now. Still, the volume at least on the boards seems nothng like it was at this time last year.

One thing, I called an agent and she said they never post their loads on the board :shock: I knew that happens at times but I've never heard an agent say they post nothing and I've also heard the erroneous argument that they are required to post everything. I guess the moral of the story is not to worry about pestering agents by cold calling them and saying,'Hi, name is Schmuckatelli, got any high-paying freight going to a good freight area that you can't get rid of?' (or some variation thereof.) :lol:

 

There are some agents who have certain BCO's running for them. They will offer their best loads to them first. If they cannot cover them they will either post them on the Landstar board or some of the other loads boards. It is much easier for them to book a load if they do it with a BCO or approved broker carrier. As you found out, some of the best paying loads will never see any load board. Once you find an agent or two who has freight in your primary travel lanes and good rates, you need to continue to build that relationship. It is easier for an agent to call a couple of dependable BCO's or broker carriers whom they know. There is nothing wrong with calling agents to see if they have something you can haul. You should have received a book of agents with a place where you can make notes about them such as where the pull freight, type, etc., There is a system in place with Landstar. But you need to work the system.

 

I've pulled a grand total of 11 loads for Landstar. The 10 that paid well required double drop trailers. The one that paid crap was a step deck load of farm equipment that I will never do again for that rate.

I only use them when they are desparate enough to pay ....which isn't very often.

 

Rank, I have no idea how many Landstar loads I have pulled. I have turned down many more than I have taken. There are some who typically have cheap freight. There are a few who nearly always seem to have higher paying loads. One of their agents whom I have hauled seems to have dropped their rates, at least with one shipper. It may be because another carrier has gone in and undercut their prices. I believe Maverick is the culprit, in this situation. I suppose there are no real salesmen any more. I would NEVER lease to a carrier who's only selling point is a cheap rate. If it was Maverick, they will only have the account until someone else comes in with a cheaper rate. I have never seen the point in hauling freight for cost or less just to get or keep the business. I had an account that I no long haul for because of rates. Their freight is usually time sensitive and warrants a premium price. The last load I hauled for them paid me $3.45/mile including fsc. The load went from Georgia to California. Another carrier went in to this account and took the business for $1.45/mile. How smart is that? I won't get into a pricing war with anyone. I would rather lose the business than lose money hauling freight. I won't go to California for $1.45/mile, especially today. I don't even haul freight that cheap in the South where fuel is usually cheaper.

Landstar does have agents who know how to sell. Those are the ones who have the decent paying freight. I don't waste my time with those who always have cheap rates. I just spoke to a friend of mine who has been leased to Landstar for several years. He seems to stay busy and is getting decent paying rates. He runs the West coast quite a bit.

 

If I'm reading this right its an Ammunition and Explosives load to boot. They want a team driven hazmat load for $.55 cpm?!?! What are they smoking?

Heck at my barn company drivers pulling triples earn more than that.