So I am ready to buy my own flat.Landstar!

[henboy1]

I graduated from Landstars' Platform course which took 2 long days of pratical and theory into cargo securing.This was followed by a 30 question test.Anyway, I have just about all the equipment from the previous owner that I bought the truck(former Landstar Inway BCO)from.With the exception of 2 inch ratchet straps,edge protectors, friction mats,box of bungees and a strap winder.
The problem is that Landstars' equipment utilization dept. said I am 9th on the list to get a company flat.This could be anywhere from now to 6 weeks in waiting since many van drivers are converting to flats.
I also thought about a SD but in talking to many BCOs of both Flats and SD, the money seems the same and also many SD BCOs have to DH more to their loads or many shippers prefer the flats than a SD.There are also many Flat loads than SD loads in the Landstar system.Many SD BCOs are having to call the agents for Flat loads and only to verify that the load would fit a SD.Then the chain starts when the agent calls the shipper and sometimes it is a NADA from the shipper.This was why I decided to go flat than a SD although Landstar had me in the system to get a SD.

Now for the question, where can I get a Flat with 48x102,spread axle, combo/steel trailer, with air ride for around $6000.Must be a 1994 +.
I also read that Pepe got his trailer for around $5000 from either ebay etc....
The other question is that I have my own Base plate with 30 states.Landstar does my IFTA (deduction/refund depends on where I run and buy fuel) and I also use their permits wich cost $10/month.Pepe, Steve and other guys with your authority, how hard is it to do your IFTA every quarter?We at Landstar write down the miles,highway travelled,(in each state),trip #,deadhead miles,pick up and destination city on our trip envelop(for each trip#).How different is it to do your IFTA than what we BCOs do at Landstar?I have heard horror stories.Why do many independents let their authority expire and then go back to leasing to a company?.Many I have talked to either at Landstar or outside claim the brokers did not pay or it was a chase.If so, then what is the purpose of a factoring company!
Just an update and a question.
Thanks guys!

Doing my IFTA is a big pain in he ass. It takes me hours and hours every quarter and lots of math. It's very straight forward once you understand it but it takes a lot of time. I found it confusing my first time but now understand how to do it. I end up paying anywhere from $2.00 to $130.00

You can look for a flatbed on www.TruckPaper.com. I kind of doubt that you will be able to find a trailer for $6,000.

I have NEVER had a problem with a broker not paying or having to chase them.

[jrhbull]

Whos your favorite broker?? Im looking in SW Florida for some dedicated loads.

[GMAN]

It sounds like you are thinking about getting your own authority, henboy. You can get your own base plate with Landstar, but must use their IFTA. Most carriers will not allow you to do your own IFTA since they are ultimately responsible for the fuel taxes and seeing that the proper forms are filed in a timely manner. About the only difference in what you are currently doing for Landstar in tracking your miles and gallons is that you will also need to add everything up by state at the end of the quarter. You will need to file a quarterly fuel report and tell the state how many miles you ran and how many gallons of fuel you purchased in each state. You will either have a credit or need to send them a check for a debit. If you keep up with your fuel and miles you should be able to do the form in about 30 minutes to 1 hour once you get the hang of it. You can either do it manually or guy software to assist you.

I seriously doubt whether you will be able to find a steel trailer for $6,000, much less a combo. A combo seems to cost a little more than a steel and wood trailer. I would expect you will need to pay at least double that amount to get a decent trailer. You may want to see if you can find a 96" wide trailer to get started. They usually cost a little less to purchase.

I have not had a lot of problems getting my money from most brokers. I check them out before I commit to a load. If their credit isn't good, then I don't haul the load. I am not going to chase down a broker to get my money. Some factors are non-recourse, others are not. Some people fail in this business because they don't do what is necessary to be successful, such as checking out a broker or shipper prior to taking a load. Some people are simply better managers than others. If someone is under capitalized, then they are more likely to fail when things get tight.

[Red Clay Rambler]

You can find 45x96 combo-air flats in that price range, but the guys are correct, it's hard to find a 48x102 in that range.

[GMAN]

There is nothing wrong with having a 96" wide trailer. My side kit is 96" x 48'. It is rare that you would need a 102" wide trailer. Perhaps 2 or 3 times, a 102" has been needed, but that isn't enough to worry about. A friend of mine who is an owner operator has an all aluminum 45' x 96" trailer and is doing very well with it. Keep in mind that you will rarely use the entire deck of a 48' trailer when you pull a flat bed. Unless you pull long I-beams or something else which is very long, a 45' would work to get you started. I prefer a 48', but a 45' will be a start. Red Clay Rambler is correct about finding one for much less than a 48' x 102". If you want a 48' you might check around for a 96" wide rather than 102". Many steel haulers who run the Northeast pull 96" trailers. There are some roads up there which are restricted to 96".

I've actually seen the opposite from what you've see GMAN with regards to my 102". It's allowed me to carry over 1,000 bags of onions and make more money than the 96" guys. On a 102" you can turn the pallets the other way and get 4 more on than a 96".

All the cranes I haul are also based on 102" and they take the whole width. The scaffolding I took the other day was based on 102" also. The skids were made square but would only fit on a 102".

[Red Clay Rambler]

henboy1, also be advised that many used flatbeds will have rust problems. Be sure you look at the cross members closely. Many cheaper flats will also need tires, something not always mentioned in the ads. A little surface rust only should not be a problem and most used steel or combo flats will have some.

[henboy1]

You can find 45x96 combo-air flats in that price range, but the guys are correct, it's hard to find a 48x102 in that range.

Yes Gman the closer I am to swimming "with the sharks" the better.There are many guys with Landstar who cannot afford their base plates and therefore request that Landstar furnish it and the Illinois plates they use is a $92 deduction every week for 4 months but then again when you get your lease cancelled etc.. you have to return those plates.I wanted the freedom of leaving when need be and still have plates.


Gman, I guess the IFTA for us or what we do on our trip sheet is almost like you guys just that Lnadtsar goes a bit further with the formulas on probably a spread sheet.Our deductions/refunds comes in every month.I had a $45 deduction last month (July's fuel tax).Another BCo told me it was just about right because some others are having about $300 deductions.I also understand that most carriers that you lease onto will "furnish" your IFTA without any deductions except for Landstar.

Your right a 48x102 trailer will be hard to get and in looking at truckpaper.com and else where they usually want 8-10grand.
You are also right Rambler, the cheaper ones had frame rail rust except for this one I found in ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...138309555&rd=1
If not the item # is 170138309555
It is just frustrating having to wait for Landstar to give me a trailer.
Steve, it sounds like your 102 is more in demand than a 96 but then again the guys with a 96 I will guess are not missing many loads from shippers.

Gman when you say 'I check them out before I commit to a load".What exactly is that involved?Do you go through a factoring company in checking them out.I would also assume you have an online program like Equifax etc.. that you can run a credit check by MC# or brokers authority#.
I know Steve waits a while to get paid but Gman, how long do you wait to get paid after you hand in your BOL via efax etc..
When I go to a dead area, (nothing on Landstar's load board) I go through my agent book.I know most of you have specific brokers you deal with, but at a dead stop do you guys try to open up your ITS and get loaded.com/CH?Do do you post your truck and leave specific rates in the comments area to weed out the cheap loads while waiting for the phone to ring?
I plan on jumping ship next year and I wanted to see what it feels like really being out there?If I needed that 30 day free trial with getloaded can I sign up without having my own authority or will they take my USDOT and MC# from my cab card?


I just want to compare the rates from lets say CH Robinson,Getloaded and ITS to Landstar's "gross" on our loadboard(the one for BCOs not the approved carrier baord).Knowing the rates on both the real world and Landstar will give me an idea of my survival because when I leave I am definitely not coming back.
I will also be posting a quote from Progressive.Who else can I contact for a quote First Guard etc...?


Thank you guys!!

[GMAN]

I've actually seen the opposite from what you've see GMAN with regards to my 102". It's allowed me to carry over 1,000 bags of onions and make more money than the 96" guys. On a 102" you can turn the pallets the other way and get 4 more on than a 96".

All the cranes I haul are also based on 102" and they take the whole width. The scaffolding I took the other day was based on 102" also. The skids were made square but would only fit on a 102".

Steve, you are correct about turning the pallets. However, when I have hauled onions, they will usually throw a few more bags on to the other pallets, as long as I can scale the weight. With the side kit down, I have put pallets all the way to the edge of the rub rail. I prefer not doing that, but it can be done as long as you can still safely secure the load. I rarely haul anything on pallets. I have seen very few times when my 96" trailer would not do the job. It really depends more on what you haul and where you go. If you haul a lot of steel, it usually won't make a difference. The major benefit I have found with a 102" trailer is that it is easier to walk around the deck when you have a wider load. Other than that, I have not seen much difference. I prefer a 102", but have made just as much money with a 96". You can usually save some money by getting a 96". If one cannot afford to buy a 102", it is a good way to get started and stay within a limited budget.

[Red Clay Rambler]

I had my eye on that ebay trailer also. It appears in some of the photos to have damaged or missing cross members, not mentioned in the ad.

Ya, your probably right Mike. I think the shippers just take advantage of the extra width when they load the cranes on. I've really never seen a hard requirement for a 102".

Henboy, (Curious where that name came from???)

I don't have many brokers that I deal with at the moment but the list gets bigger as time goes on. I have 4 regulars that I can call and if they have something they hook me up right away. I've found that if you pick up and deliver when you say you will and meet the deadline, YOUR IN BIG TIME.

Those brokers don't call me any more on the road for status and don't call to find out if the load was delivered.

The rest of the time I post my truck on ITS and GetLoaded and wait for the phone to ring. Just make sure your ready to roll. The phone usually doesn't ring until noon or 1pm when the brokers realize they haven't covered the load yet. When they do call it's usually a good rate because they would rather make something then nothing at all.

I don't write anything in the comments section when I post my truck other than a joke sometimes. I'll say things like, "Destination without any people" or "Will haul to Tahiti for $1.00 per mile"

I also don't factor and do wait the 30+ days to get paid. It took me since last November to accumulate about $10,000 extra cash on hand to pay for fuel and my personal bills.

I really haven't spent any money on myself since I started and just keep tucking it away although I'm going to take a week off at the end of this month and roam around Florida.

[GMAN]

You can find 45x96 combo-air flats in that price range, but the guys are correct, it's hard to find a 48x102 in that range.

Yes Gman the closer I am to swimming "with the sharks" the better.There are many guys with Landstar who cannot afford their base plates and therefore request that Landstar furnish it and the Illinois plates they use is a $92 deduction every week for 4 months but then again when you get your lease cancelled etc.. you have to return those plates.I wanted the freedom of leaving when need be and still have plates.


Gman, I guess the IFTA for us or what we do on our trip sheet is almost like you guys just that Lnadtsar goes a bit further with the formulas on probably a spread sheet.Our deductions/refunds comes in every month.I had a $45 deduction last month (July's fuel tax).Another BCo told me it was just about right because some others are having about $300 deductions.I also understand that most carriers that you lease onto will "furnish" your IFTA without any deductions except for Landstar.

Your right a 48x102 trailer will be hard to get and in looking at truckpaper.com and else where they usually want 8-10grand.
You are also right Rambler, the cheaper ones had frame rail rust except for this one I found in ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...138309555&rd=1
If not the item # is 170138309555
It is just frustrating having to wait for Landstar to give me a trailer.
Steve, it sounds like your 102 is more in demand than a 96 but then again the guys with a 96 I will guess are not missing many loads from shippers.

Gman when you say 'I check them out before I commit to a load".What exactly is that involved?Do you go through a factoring company in checking them out.I would also assume you have an online program like Equifax etc.. that you can run a credit check by MC# or brokers authority#.
I know Steve waits a while to get paid but Gman, how long do you wait to get paid after you hand in your BOL via efax etc..
When I go to a dead area, (nothing on Landstar's load board) I go through my agent book.I know most of you have specific brokers you deal with, but at a dead stop do you guys try to open up your ITS and get loaded.com/CH?Do do you post your truck and leave specific rates in the comments area to weed out the cheap loads while waiting for the phone to ring?
I plan on jumping ship next year and I wanted to see what it feels like really being out there?If I needed that 30 day free trial with getloaded can I sign up without having my own authority or will they take my USDOT and MC# from my cab card?


I just want to compare the rates from lets say CH Robinson,Getloaded and ITS to Landstar's "gross" on our loadboard(the one for BCOs not the approved carrier baord).Knowing the rates on both the real world and Landstar will give me an idea of my survival because when I leave I am definitely not coming back.
I will also be posting a quote from Progressive.Who else can I contact for a quote First Guard etc...?


Thank you guys!!

Henboy, you will probably save several hundred dollars by getting your own base plate. And if you plan on going out on your own, it will be a little easier to make the transition. When I went from getting a base plate through a carrier to whom I was leased and got my own, I saved about $500. If you are paying $45/month for fuel taxes, you are either not watching where you buy your fuel, or Landstar is taking more than they should. My fuel taxes usually run from about $10-75/quarter. One thing I found when I leased to Landstar is that they make money on about everything they do. I have been told that some fleets can use a mileage average when calculating fuel taxes. Depending on where you run, you may be paying more in fuel taxes than you should. The only way to find out for sure is to track your own fuel taxes. If they use a fleet average, you could be paying more than those running in the high fuel tax states while they could be paying a little less.

I have several things I do to check out a broker. I can get on line and check their authority. Not everyone who offers loads are brokers. Some may not have their bond or authority up to date. That is a red flag. I usually have credit references which they supply and will often call a factor with whom I do business. Usually if the factor will take the business, they are OK. Since this particular factor is non-recourse, they are usually up to date on most shippers and brokers. Recently, I was talking with a Canadian broker with whom I have not done business. I called the factor and they have been taking more than 55 days to pay. I don't want to wait that long to get my money and the factor will probably not do any more business with this broker because of the long lag time between billing and receiving payment. If it is a military load, I have had some brokers to want to charge me a quick pay rate of 5% to get my money even though they are paid from 1 day to 72 hours. That is also a red flag. It tells me that the broker is either not as financially stable as I prefer or he is trying to take advantage of a situation. There are also credit services specializing in the transportation industry. There is also The Gold Book which lists the better brokers. Most brokers that I do business pay in less than 30 days. Some pay in a week to 21 days. I would allow 30-45 days for most brokers to pay from the time when they receive the bills. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the better brokers will check you out to make sure you have authority and insurance. Some may check your safety record. I have gotten business because I have a good safety record. That can easily be checked on line. Some independents don't want to take the time to check out brokers. If it is a broker with whom you have never done business, it is in your best interest to check them out before doing business with them. If you don't want to take the time, then it is a crap shoot as to whether you will get your money. I don't haul cheap freight and I don't haul for FREE!

Landstar has agents who have freight most anywhere you go. Often their agents have freight far away from where they are based. That is part of the learning curve you need to allow when you lease to them. It takes time to learn who has the better paying freight, where it is located and who has it.

If you want to check the load boards, you will need your authority to subscribe to most of them. I believe you can subscribe to getloaded with the permission of your carrier. Of course, you can always check the DAT board in many truck stops. CH Robinson, Landstar, Schneider, etc., have their own load boards. You can check the Landstar board without being set up with them, but most require you to have authority and be set up to check their loads. Most brokers post their loads on several boards.

It is difficult to stick a toe in the authority pond without actually jumping in with both feet. It is expensive to get your authority and get rolling. Insurance isn't cheap, even if you get a good rate. I recently paid a little over $1,400 for base plates. The cost will vary from one state to another. That is money which must be paid when you get the plates. When you lease to a carrier some will finance them for you or furnish them all together. As you stated, Landstar will finance them and take a flat rate out of each weekly settlement. When you run your own authority, most states will require proof of residency. My home state required me to have a listed business phone. I use my cell phone most of the time, but still need to have the business phone which cost me just over $100/month. It is only one additional expense when running your authority.

Insurance rates are usually high and difficult to find until you get at least 2 years of verifiable experience under your belt. Northland and Great West are two of the larger insurance companies who write liability and cargo insurance for motor carriers. You might do better finding a good insurance broker who can shop your needs with more than one underwriter. Rates vary according to experience, credit score, MVR, where you base, where you haul and type of freight. The first criteria they check is your MVR and experience. They may not call previous employers, but will check to see how long you have held your CDL. Where are you living, now?

[Joymax_Trans2]

Steve,

Since you are already registered with Internet Truckstop just subscribe to FuelDesk Plus ($25 or $35 more dollars) Fuel Tax Online comes with it. It's connected with ProMiles internet version. Works like a charm, all you do is input your trips, when you purchased fuel and it does all of the calculations for you. I have been using it for about a year now and I love it because it makes things easy.

[merrick4]

Doing my IFTA is a big pain in he ass. It takes me hours and hours every quarter and lots of math. It's very straight forward once you understand it but it takes a lot of time. I found it confusing my first time but now understand how to do it. I end up paying anywhere from $2.00 to $130.00

You can look for a flatbed on www.TruckPaper.com. I kind of doubt that you will be able to find a trailer for $6,000.

I have NEVER had a problem with a broker not paying or having to chase them.

Steve, why don't you just pay a service if it's that big a pain in the ass? I pay $38 a month and they give me pre-paid envelopes to send in the form and receipt for each trip. I just paid at first to get me going as I wanted to concentrate on other things but if it's that much of a pain, I'll just keep the service. Actually they are pretty nice and if I have any question on permits or anything else related to taxes I just call them.

It's all the recording that's a pain in the ass. I could pay someone to do it but if I did, I basically would still have to do 90% before sending it in so there is no point.

You on the other hand are basically doing your IFTA on every single trip a little bit at a time. If you were a true independent you would do it all at the end of the quarter like the rest of us.

[Snake_Ize]

I graduated from Landstars' Platform course which took 2 long days of pratical and theory into cargo securing.This was followed by a 30 question test.Anyway, I have just about all the equipment from the previous owner that I bought the truck(former Landstar Inway BCO)from.With the exception of 2 inch ratchet straps,edge protectors, friction mats,box of bungees and a strap winder.
T

If you're needing a strap winder check Ebay for a great roller "CARGO STRAP ROLLER TRACTOR TRAILER FLAT BED EZ 2 USE" with this link.
http://cgi.ebay.com/CARGO-STRAP-ROLL...QQcmdZViewItem

I bought two of these and they are a fantastic buy. I had used the truck stop crap that bend after a couple of uses or have the handle that binds. These from Ebay are real heavy duty and have a large circular stop so the straps roll nice and even. The guy selling them bought them from the original company that stopped making them. The literature that comes with them has a brochure and they were selling them for 89 bucks. This guy is selling them for 20 plus 12 shipping. I would have been willing to pay the 89, they are that good. If you do get one tell him whether you want it for a flat bed or step deck. It just concerns the height of unit and either one will work OK but the step deck model angles upward a little bit. If you own your own trailer you can use the bolt on pocket that comes with itt. If your going to swap it to different trailers a little customizing is in order to make it attach like the cheap ones do. I had to cut a piece off the bottom then drill and tap a hole to put a thumbscrew but it was worth the effort. The handle can be attached for left or right handed use also.

[henboy1]

Thanks Snake I bought one from http://www.doubleccanvas.com/ and it is very similar to the one on ebay.For you guys in the Dallas area these guys even fix tarps and ratchet binders.
Gman, I am not sure but TN maybe cheaper when it comes to getting your base plates and I will assume you have all 48 states on yours.My renewal last week cost $1092 for 30 states(why put places like CO,NE and OR when I never see those places).Last year's base plate with only 5 states did cost about $950.This was because I was using their estimated miles on the form.I just figured out the mileage deal on the form.The only estimated miles I used from their chart where states on my BP that I had never been to.They tried to charge me for the full 31,000 miles for GA which costs $550 but I insisted I never drove that much in Ga to have to pay that much.I think all 48 states for GA cost $1700.
Redclay, I called the ebay guy and I mentioned that he had missing crossmemebers in his ebay auction.The guy knew that and said he would set a reserve at around $12,000 if the flatbed was in perfect condition.He said it would cost around $300 to get that fixed by a welder.Even with good ebay feedback ratings they never dsiclose all the info you need.
Thanks for observing that.

[GMAN]

Yep, I have all 48 states. I keep getting 48 states because there may come a time when I may want to go to Washington or Oregon for a super paying load. If I don't have them on my cab card, then I can't go there without adding them. It usually costs more to add them later, not to mention the extra hassle. By the way, it is my understanding that when they finally get the new registration system in place, we will all have to register in all 48 states. There will no longer be a choice.