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It's not the only way. There are many ways that come to mind to build a reefer trailer and straight truck fleet at a company like Landstar but that is above my pay grade. There are no guarantees that Landstar will not do what FedEx Custom Critical did with its company-owned reefer trailers...

In less than two years our reefer will become non-CARB-compliant, not because there is anything wrong with it, but simply because CARB says after a reefer reaches a certain age it must be upgraded or replaced. In our case, at today's prices, the upgrade would be to replace the reefer engine...

Would it matter if they did? If so, in what way?

Cool! If I add a rear view mirror to the windshield, more legal room can be created for other devices!

Were you wearing those pants at the time?

I am not the source for information on this. When Landstar is ready to announce its program to owner-operators, I expect they will do so. I'm happy to share that work is now underway to develop the reefer business at Landstar (over and above what they already have), but that is all that would be...

It's not Phil who is getting the Landstar reefer division up and running but someone is. Landstar recently hired a man with extensive background in the expedite industry to do just that. His full-time job is to develop reefer business such that Landstar will compete head-on in the lucrative...

Good points from an even bigger picture and even longer time frame. Thank you.

From the FMCSA regs for commercial vehicles: (e) Prohibition on obstructions to the driver's field of view— (1) Devices mounted at the top of the windshield. Antennas, transponders, and similar devices must not be mounted more than 152 mm (6 inches) below the upper edge of the windshield...

I want to add one more thing to the comments about the Landstar system I made above. You should understand that Landstar agents are INDEPENDENT agents. They are not obligated to put their freight on Landstar trucks. You could be sitting at the doorstep of a shipper but if it suits the agent, he...

zorry, a few things. First, I do not know what you are talking about regarding me attacking you. It is not something I recall. If it happened, there will be posts on record so you may be right, but just know today that I have no idea what you are talking about. Nor do I know if what you see as...

There's no telling what a given expediter might do when presented with a load offer or relocation decision. All sorts of variables enter in, including bad judgement, errant perceptions, the expediter's vaules and priorities, one's business goals, etc. In your hypothetical scenario, an expediter...

It seems important to you that Diane and I do worse at Landstar than we did when at FedEx Custom Critical. Is that correct?

Assuming that $0.71 per mile is in the ballpark of a breakeven rate for a van, the case for either decision could be made. A) Drive at breakeven over the weekend when freight prospects are poor to be positioned in a good freight area on Monday morning. B) Stay put and hope for a better paying...

I don't know how often that SAFER number is updated. The current number is a little over 250. I was not with Landstar years ago but have heard from old hands that a lot of trucks left when Qualcomm was put in and the recession took out a number of others. I met recently one of the drivers who...

True enquiring minds would already know by reading my daily blog. There was little to say about freight volume and rates with our truck this winter since we were home in Minnesota for Christmas and then at our Florida vacation house through the first week of March. The spring months were...

We have problems already. It appears we have already lost 1/3 of the staff to a watermellon venture, and Bruno, we're not going to sell many pizzas with you constantly talking online about how great all the other pizza places are. Best for now to live in a truck with my wife, I think.

Go for it, Bruno, but be careful too. Keep your Plan B at the ready as all wise expediters do. As well connected as you may be at Panther things may develop such that you will not be the first to know. Do you remember this post? The man at Panther knew full well that the company was for sale...

You said it yourself. Thirty percent is not bad when compared to 90 percent. I have never seen turnover statistics published that drill further down and distinguish between owner-operators (self-employed) and company drivers (employees). That information may be publicly available somewhere but...

Landstar posted on Twitter that driver turnover at truckload carriers is now at 90 percent (see this) and that Landstar's is under 30 percent. Landstar Express America's (Landstar's expedite component) turnover rate is about 10 percent. Not bad, 'eh?