Landstar info please

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Is it so rare a BCO or Partner carrier does a good job that it's memorable ?
In my prior example, if two equally trusted teams were up for a load, would human nature give it to the one that bought dinner ?

You don't understand Landstar agents by understanding human nature. You understand Landstar agents by understanding each one individually.

I am not a Landstar agent, but if I was, and if I had two equally trusted drivers to choose from, and one of them bought me and Diane dinner (sent a gift certificate), I would bump to the bottom of the list the dinner-buying driver. If a truck was needed and that driver was the only one available, fine. But otherwise, that driver gets passed over.

I would take great offense at the idea that I can be bought like that and I would not trust a driver who felt his or her services were so insufficient in themselves that gifts must be presented as an incentive to use that truck.

I would also decline the gift. If I was an agent dealing with a number of drivers who talk to each other, the last thing I would want is one or more of them believing that some of them have an unequal shot at getting the freight I dispatch. Gifts, shmifts, I would communicate. It's about moving the freight and serving customers well.

That is not human nature, that is my nature.

Another agent might tell you something completely different. That's not human nature either, that's his or her nature.
 
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xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Human nature is human nature. Just simple logic says some agents would have one reaction to a freebee and the next agent another. Your attempting to make people something they aren't just because they are land star agents. Sorry I call bull. People are people plain and simple.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Your attempting to make people something they aren't just because they are land star agents.

That kind of perceptual error leads some to fail at Landstar where they may do well in a centralized dispatch system. Errant drivers assume that things are a certain way when, in fact, they are not.

A driver who thought he or she had an idea of what human nature is, and proceeded to do business based on that, would fail; because at Landstar, you don't do business with human nature, you do business with agents.
 
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moose

Veteran Expediter
not saying anything 'bout agent's integrity ,but for what extent LandStar recruit, train & monitor agents?,
just asking 'cause we don't know.
in an centralized dispatch, if one is off the chart, others will be quick to notice, but since Agents do not seat @ the next cubical to others{or even same state}, AND since drivers actually will never know what kind of relationship an Agent will have with other BCO's...
then LandStar monitoring system MUST be well known and published.
just because a BCO's got a great load for a weekend drive, dose NOT mean he did not got the short side of the stick @ the same time.
*another question, dose Agent's are contracted to LS alone?, or do they free do do other businesses, such broker out loads?,
since we are all get good LandStar loads from time to time, what incentives dose an Agent have to place a load on an LandStar truck verses to broker it out?
 

tenntrucker

Expert Expediter
We're a Landstar approved carrier and the same thing applies. There are a few agents who like us and we're always getting calls from them to book trucks. Really it's like any large customer with multiple offices. You have to get in good with each office. I guess as an owner operator, running for them must be the closest thing to running on your own without having to actually get your authority. The smart people who look at their operation as a business and market it as such are going to succeed under that kind of setup.

Reading this makes me wonder how much difference is in treatment of a BCO and a approved carrier by agents?

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
 

moose

Veteran Expediter
I do not know the answers to the questions you ask above, Moose.
When i went to CDL driving school in Eagan, one instructor told us 'run your truck and let the carrier run the company'
i'v listened to him for about a decade.
that's was 12 years ago.
sorry.
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
This thread is full of some of the best advice/knowledge I've read from Ateam. I've been skeptical of some of his past claims, but this is gold... and not just for Landstar.
 

roadeyes

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
QRe: Landstar info please

I laugh at the people who put down the LEA system just because they think that they will not get treated fairly. In their eyes that somehow equates to central dispatching being automatically fairer for them.

Forget about Landstar, the people that think that really have no idea how the world works period.

In every aspect of life there is something called "the inside track".
Maybe you've heard of it?
It's that magical lane in the race of life where everything just seems to get easier.

The funny thing is, it's not really that hard to find. You can schmooze, network, suck up, do all the favours you want but the truth is if you just plain old do a great job that the people you work with will remember you by, you will find the inside track, trust me.

For the record, I have no affiliation with LS, and every driving/owner op job I've ever had has been with some variant of a "central dispatching" system.

It matters not to me the nature of the system, it only matters to me that the people that operate within it are aware of my professionalism, both in my dealings with dispatch and the customer.

There is no such thing as an honest dispatcher, auctioneer, real estate agent, lawyer etc. Some are just more honest than others.

Every dispatcher/agent in every company has their favourite list and their :censoredsign: list. I know which list I want to be on and I do what needs to be done to make sure I'm on that list. Funny thing is, almost all the time it doesn't require me to buy anybody lunch, hookers, cigarettes, booze or anything.
Most of the time the only requirement to make the "good" list is for me to be
dependable and professional in all aspects of my work. That's what people will remember the most just as they will remember you if you are the opposite.


In my almost 30 years in a dispatch/driver environment (taxi, bus & courier), it's been my experience that the whiners out there that cry the blues about "fairness" are the ones that are the least professional both in their appearance and their work ethic, but expect to be treated the same as the people who excel at both because in their books that somehow is fair.

I know for a fact that I get preferential treatment where I am. Why?
Cuz dispatch knows they can trust me not to screw things up, it's that simple.

Sure, I'll bring a round of coffees for the office staff when I stop by. Do you think that in itself will get me some good runs? Not if I'm incompetent it won't.

We all know that since the barrier to entry in this business is pretty low, the majority of drivers/owner ops in this business are nothing but seat warming steering wheel holders, so when someone actually does a good job, believe me, it stands out!

Look at it this way, if you have a fussy but good customer, do you think the dispatcher wants to listen to the customer chew them out on the phone because of the lack of professionalism and/or tardiness on the driver's part? Of course not. The dispatcher isn't even going to take a chance on someone who is either unreliable or even someone new to the company who hasn't proven themselves yet. You will get passed over and rightly so.

Get over this fairness crap and just learn how to get the inside track (in everything you do)!


Cheers!
 

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

Over the years we have watched teasm head on over to Landstar as Expediters or in the truckload divisions. (do not know the correct terms for the divisions).

We have listened to their varied approaches on how they presented themselves from creating flyers and mailing them out, to business cards, stopping by offices to visit, to others doing nothing. Some of the people we know failed and others have succeeded and are still doing very well.

From what I have observed it is a total picture which includes introductions, what you and the truck are qualified to do, and then follow through and getting the job done right each and every time. I believe being an over achiever in all areas will set you up for success in the Landstar model.

We have also watched as drivers are doing fine with Landstar but do not like the business model and leave for another carrier. As many say including us; one carrier does not fit everyones needs so do the research.

Personally I think Landstar is a great company and there are many things that I believe they do right, with that being said we are still at the right company for us.
 

Monty

Expert Expediter
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

I agree on the inside track .... I have always been successful at trucking, no matter where I was.

I also believe the agent system is best for me, but not for everyone.
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

Landstar typically if they post up load it goes out on inside BCO board and outside broker board at the same. As long as the insurance requirements or customer dictates aren't such that it can only go on a Landstar truck, it will get shopped. Now when times are busy the good freight is out there and everyone is happily making money off of it, inside and out, that's when a driver need to be thinking longer term. Key things when one taps into freight like that is to one, recognize what you've found and two, make a name for yourself. Some of you guys frown on buying dinner for agents, that's actually part of my marketing thing.. ..when someone loads my truck up with lots of high dollar freight, as in $20-$30K in a years time, then I will gladly buy that agent and his/her significant other dinner, have sent gift cards several times. I don't expect anything from it, my service is such that I'd get repeat business without that anyways, it's just a nice way to say "thank you". Anyways, once you have found that good stuff from an agent in the times of plenty, well in the times of scarcity that is when you will really reap the benefits. I have several expedite brokers, LS agents among them, who often text or call load offers on great paying expedite... ...that never hits a board if I decline it. They just go down the list of trusted reliable trucks that they know and check with drivers to see if any are in the area or interested. And some of these people, I'd drop just about anything to cover a load for them, and they know that too. These are the rare good ones with good accounts who don't play the wild swings of the market too crazily, of course you have to provide value for these folks.. ..but value in your rates on their freight is still fantastic compared to most of the rest of the freight out there, which is why a person would drop anything to work with them.
 
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roadeyes

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

I agree wholeheartedly that not everyone is suited to one system. Thankfully there are choices.

I guess the point I was trying to make was instead of people crying about fairness and honesty, they would be much farther ahead if they learned how to work the system to their advantage.

That is life. As was mentioned, people are people, and people like to work with those they know and trust in all facets of their life.
I will even go as far as saying that even if you are not particularily liked by a dispatcher/agent say for maybe a personality conflict or some other reason, I would be willing to bet that you will still get decent runs from that person if they know they can trust you to do the job properly. Maybe you won't be at the top of the "good" list like their buddies are, but you won't be on the :censoredsign: list either if you are competent, and sometimes that is the best you can hope for.
Everybody just want things to run as smooth as possible, it's that simple.

Now in all fairness, sometimes if the system itself changes, it maybe time to move on as well.

Using Phil & Diane as an example, they made their decision to move on based not on the actions of a few individual dispatchers, they made their choice based on the fact that the system itself had changed. They made their choice based on what they saw happening within the Fed itself, such as the introduction of mileage based contracts that appeared to give those contractors preferential treatment as they were said to be working closely with so called "load planners". They also saw themselves losing loads to the freight division of Fedex.

In that case, no amount of competence or professionalism will ever be able to overcome those odds. So in that case it was time to move on.

If they were not already the professional team that they were, they would not have been able to adapt and shine at LS in such a short time, it's that simple.

No, I don't know them and have nothing to gain by saying this but they and a number of others are a perfect example of how you can go from a central dispatch system to an agent based system and even though they didn't know any of the agents, they adapted and were succesful in a very short period of time.
I can remember Phil writing on his blog more than once about how they wanted to impress this new agent they had never done business with before.
What was really interesting was how they wanted to impress the agents.
I can tell you it wasn't by buying them anything, blackmailing them, or any other
means other than by being professional and competent.

What a novel concept eh?

There goes the theory about not getting treated fairly if you not buddy buddy with the agents.

Like I said, everyone just wants things to run smoothly!!!
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

After reading this thread, I think some way over think the whole thing. We have done both for years and for every negative, there is a positive the other way. Just depends on what one feels comfortable with. We have done Landstar loads for years and it has been a profitable venture and a good working relationship with their agents..
Been at the Cat for years and that has been profitable for years.
Combine the two and a few others and it seems to work.
"Don't worry, be happy". :cool:
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Re: QRe: Landstar info please

They also saw themselves losing loads to the freight division of Fedex.

You have it mostly right but not on this point. We saw ourselves losing loads not to the freight division of FedEx but to the newly purchased reefer trailers owned and preferentially dispatched by our own division of FedEx, FedEx Custom Critical.
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Is it so rare a BCO or Partner carrier does a good job that it's memorable ?
In my prior example, if two equally trusted teams were up for a load, would human nature give it to the one that bought dinner ?

Whoever is closest to the freight, quickest to agree on rate gets the load. Whoever makes it known they are in the neighborhood when it could possibly come available, and/or has a habit of always being conveniently there. If one is a well known quantity and one is not... Makes it so quick, simple and easy to cover the load... ...no-one this year has gotten anything, likely won't, been mixing things up so much with random general freight brokers no one source has been a pancea, automotive is dead.. ..but I don't see the big deal. Service is my main focus and no-one is more detail oriented, that's why they continue to pass the freight my way.. ..I make it easy to say yes.

Sent from my droid using Tapatalk 2
 

EASYTRADER

Expert Expediter
I started the switch to LS twice and both times I gave up because their new hire paperwork shuffle is a total mess.

I have had many challenges with the changes at the Fed, honestly I sometimes wonder why I'm still here. If it wasn't for the flat rate system, I would have blown out with Phil after the new dispatch system drove me into PTSD. Turning 24 loads down in a row was pretty traumatic for me. Id rather sleep than have my time wasted with crap.

Having said that, I took a small cut in ppm to go flat rate, but now I accept 9 out of 10 loads instead of turn down 9 out of 10.

If I ever do leave the Fed I'm pretty sure I'll go LS ;-)
 

jjoerger

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Army
Landstar, like every other company has there warts too. Agents will call and tell you about a load, the BCO will accept and then be asked to wait 15 minutes while the agent books the load. In the meantime another agent will call with another load that the BCO can not accept because he committed to the first load. The first load falls through so the BCO calls agent number two. That load has already been covered and the BCO has now missed out on two loads. The agents do not already own all the loads they call about. Some of them work the bid boards and call to make sure they will have a truck available before they bid. We had 23 load offers in a 2.5 day period. We accepted 18 and didn't get any.
To do really well at Landstar a BCO needs a DoD clearance, liftgate, large capacity truck and a willingness to do the best job possible on every load. IMHO. We did not have a DoD clearance, so we missed out on a lot of good paying freight.
Phil is correct. Forget everything you think you know about how that system works.
Our income dropped 30% in the 8 months we were there. It is now higher than when we left FedEx for what we though would be greener pastures. We prefer the impersonal, unemotional central dispatch computer based system at FedEx.
Sent from my EVO using EO Forums mobile app
 

EASYTRADER

Expert Expediter
18 accepts and no actual loads would **** me off as much probly more than 24 td's in a row!!!

But I think I would figure out which agents were "jacks" pretty quick.

I also realise ATeams experience is not "typical" it is in fact "A-Typical", but he's still pretty informative.

I doubt I'll quit the Fed unless they cancel the Flat Rate program. With only a year left in anyway (Lord willing) why bother.
 
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