1. Landstar Inspection on the truck and trailer is a killer and has to be done every quarter. Bear in mind this a Truck that may pass the an inspction like at Bolt Panther Just might not pass the Landstar inspection REQ..
Point I have a friend that was with Land Star and each time he did there inspection they failed the truck. But took it for a Dot using Another Company form well it then passed. So then he pulled out the Land Star Form and said can you pass now. They look at it and said they will check and guess what it failed by the land star inspection. That the truth.
SO Id say 1st off Your truck best bout be in tip top shape for Land star. Thats the truth.
Well that is true, every quarter. They pay for them, so whats the big whoop?
I found that the inspection levels that Landstar have seem to be a bit better than FedEx. I won’t get into the what I think the issues are with some, I experienced my first OOS violation due to a problem with an inspector but on the other hand I have had an inspector tell me that my backup lights were not working with the key off – you figure that out. I do keep my truck in great shape, it is a class 7 so I have to be vigilant in making sure it passes every time.
2ndly. Land star as U know and was stated does have a good ole boy club. Yes they do. Them boys do all the High end moves for the GOVT. Viably ones all the other expedite companies out here cant do. And are not qualified to do Now that goes hand in hand with there drastic DOT inspection they require on there trucks Quarterly.
and no sir their inspection isnt the same as the rest either.
and The Goodole boy club they have is the big reason. But then again GOVT Contracts have a lot to do with things.
Yea, it is all on the surface, no hidden agendas, no BS, no playing games – if an agent does not like you, you won’t get a call from them.
This is not about popularity, it is not who has the flashy truck, who likes you, who you BSed into getting to that position without experience or how you look in a uniform, it is about making money.
It is far better to know the rules up front than to find out what goes on in the background that limits you.
The difference to me is that I don’t have to deal with five dispatchers, a lack of caring between all of them or being dispatched around to help someone out. I work with professionals who understand when I say that I can’t do this because of my hours, they don’t sit there and tell me “we promised the customer we would get it there now” or have to deal with someone on the other end offering me a load for $1.03 a mile and complaining that the company won’t make any money if I don’t take the load offer. Should I go on?
Yes nothing hidden, no problem.
Now as far as LandStar yup you got a load board off the internet and Yup You can put 2 or 3 loads on at a time unlike the other companies. The money may not be as high as with the other expedite companies but one thing if you got a team as the man before said you can pop vice sit.
No I can’t get a load off the internet, I can get loads off the internal Landstar board. I can also put 2 or 3 loads on my truck and have done that already, making good money. I am learning but here is the catch to Landstar – opportunity. I didn’t get that with FedEx, I got “you can’t” more often than not, other times it was a change of subject.
Now far as a reefer let me tell you a secret IF you got a reefer and its TVAL and its less than 7 years old U might have a chance at joining the Good Ole boy Club. But catch 22 if your a fleet owner dont expect your trucks to be part of it unless U the ower are in that truck not to mention the back ground checks you got to pass and such ect. Like I said must be an OOP driven with a Co driver not two hired drivers.
What?
You got the corner on reefer knowledge?
Afraid not.
Do you know what T-Val is all about and why FedEx uses it?
Come on give me some specifics ……
7 Years?
The age of the unit does not matter, what matters is the age of the box. One thing I am glad about with Landstar is I am not worried about my trucks age as I was with FedEx. The latter wanted newer trucks for image, not load hauling.
The real secret is learning where to make money, not sitting in an express center and waiting. I used to do that, I am sitting today and will tomorrow but it is not because of lack of freight.
By the way I knew about the goodole boys before I ever left the service. Now thats food for thought.
By the way U realy cant compare the two companies.
Each does their own thing.
Landstar there has its divisions and FedEX has its own as well Just like Panther and the rest.
One thing I will say LandStar Goodole boy club is all run by ower ops in the trucks. In other words they own the truck and have a Co Driver as its a Req for Certain Contracts.
Whos the best it depends on which side of the fence your on.
Well there is some truth to that, but you can compare the two companies like you can compare Panther and FedEx. You are right each does its own thing and each is part of a larger company but there is some common ground.
