Lone Star Transportation

[devildice]

Opps...... I did mean Lonestar... NOT Landstar! The Memphis terminal was not forced dispatch at all! My uncle would do his best to cover everything that was important to maintain good relationships, but he also spent plenty of time taking extended hometime. It can be really important to help terminal managers cover their ***** on certain freight that needs to be moved for certain clients. That scenario probably holds true for most any company. I do know they have some excellent drop deck freight. For the last 3 years my uncle pulled a double drop with a flip axle hauling almost exclusively the big boy Airbus engines. There was also lots of tugs and oversize equipment he would shuttle between airports for FedEx also. Probably 90% of his runs were dealing with FedEx engines and aircraft loading equipment. They have lots of permit loads and oversize. I would say he easily pulled for more than $2.50 a mile gross when he was running just a single drop. I feel like you have made an excellent decision signing on with them.

Thanks again hamboner........I think I am going to go ahead and call them today and get scheduled for orientation. I'll let everyone know what happens over on my regular thread... "high-seas to highways"

[wesland]

hey maybe i can help a little as i am starting with them this week also well i am in oriantation as we speak i came in on the 15 , i will be acompany driver so i am sure our info will be a little different but they do seem strick on logs and paperwork which is understandable considering what they haul i will be starting off at .42/mile pretty good for plain ol flat and rgn loads i think well let me know what you need to know and i will try to find out for you

[jimifoad]

lone star is forced dispatch.

did 13 months with em, pretty good company. frieght depends on your dispatch, they have some favortism. that's why i left, wasn't getting the big stuff. had me running flats mostly. home time sucked but money was very good. decided if i wasn't going to be going home i wanted blade runs and it wasn't happening. not hiring now, nobodies quiting.

[catalinaflyer]

not hiring now, nobodies quiting.

I beg to differ on that, there has been at least 9 drivers plus myself that have quit in the last few weeks. Those are the ones that I know of for sure so I'm positive there have been more. What better line to give a prospective driver than "We'll take your app but we're not hiring right now because all of our trucks are full and we have no one leaving". Most people that want something when they get told they can't have it they want it even more. I still have a couple of contacts that are driving there and talk to them a couple times a week, they said that there's drivers quitting right and left.

But you hit the nail on the head as for dispatch, home time, money and favorites. As for moving to blades or towers you have to be on one of the favored boards to even get considered for it. I have met drivers there that have come from a heavy/specialized background and after two years are still pulling legal flatbed loads all the time and not even getting considered for wind and I have met drivers on blades who cam from a reefer/van background, put in 12 weeks with Lonestar and got moved into blades. I made good money while I was there but I was also promised I would be home for Christmas. When push came to shove I was left hanging in the wind, called childish and hung up on (3 times). That was the straw that broke the camels back, I can deal with just about anything but hide behind a phone and hang up on me instead of giving me an explination and I'm through.

They have an excellent safety record so whatever formula they use for deciding who gets upgraded and moves the bigger stuff works for them but from a driver standpoint there are those that get promoted and those that get shat on without any real explination.

[devildice]

lone star is forced dispatch.

did 13 months with em, pretty good company. frieght depends on your dispatch, they have some favortism. that's why i left, wasn't getting the big stuff. had me running flats mostly. home time sucked but money was very good. decided if i wasn't going to be going home i wanted blade runs and it wasn't happening. not hiring now, nobodies quiting.

I agree with catalinaflyer. I know a couple of drivers that are still there (at least for now) and according to them drivers are leaving like flies. As far as forced dispatch, that is 100% true for company drivers but is NOT supposed to be so for O/O....unfortunately I found out the hard way with the terminal I was attached to. Favoritism I am not sure about but would not be surprised if it was true. IMO, L.S. biggest problem is that they have very poor communication and I am a believer in "Say as you do....Do as you say" and that concept is foreign to them.

[cactusjack]

Has any one worked for lone star and can give me the real skinny on them?\I am going company driver with them and have not found anything on any forum until I came here.

[devildice]

Has any one worked for lone star and can give me the real skinny on them?\I am going company driver with them and have not found anything on any forum until I came here.

I was leased onto them for a short period and still have a friend over there. Maybe I can be of some help so just ask away.

[cactusjack]

I was leased onto them for a short period and still have a friend over there. Maybe I can be of some help so just ask away.

I was curious about miles per week......
Home time ... They said 3 weeks out but did you find it to be able to go through the house more than that?
Dispatchers ..... is there one assigned to you or is there an open board.... are they easy to get along with?
anything i should watch out for?
I could go on and on..... I am about ready to sign ....I have not had any kind of responses on any boards until now..... I have 15 plus years driving experience and live in oklahoma real close to wichita falls Texas.

ANY thing and everything I can get info on about the company would be great !

[devildice]

I was curious about miles per week......
Home time ... They said 3 weeks out but did you find it to be able to go through the house more than that?
Dispatchers ..... is there one assigned to you or is there an open board.... are they easy to get along with?
anything i should watch out for?
I could go on and on..... I am about ready to sign ....I have not had any kind of responses on any boards until now..... I have 15 plus years driving experience and live in oklahoma real close to wichita falls Texas.

ANY thing and everything I can get info on about the company would be great !

I justed texted my friend that is still a company driver there and asked what kind of miles they're getting these days. He said on average the miles are around 1500-2000 a week. When they say 3 weeks out they mean it, in fact they will tell you at orientation to expect to say out 3-5 weeks. Based on where you live there is a good chance you could get through the house occasionally. They do have assigned dispatchers and to the best of my knowledge they are easy to get along with.

If you're looking to be a company driver and have no problem with forced dispatch and a lot of sitting then they might be a decent company for you. If you're an O/O looking to lease on I would RUN far away.

[cactusjack]

I justed texted my friend that is still a company driver there and asked what kind of miles they're getting these days. He said on average the miles are around 1500-2000 a week. When they say 3 weeks out they mean it, in fact they will tell you at orientation to expect to say out 3-5 weeks. Based on where you live there is a good chance you could get through the house occasionally. They do have assigned dispatchers and to the best of my knowledge they are easy to get along with.

If you're looking to be a company driver and have no problem with forced dispatch and a lot of sitting then they might be a decent company for you. If you're an O/O looking to lease on I would RUN far away.

how long has he been an company driver and does he do OD ?

[devildice]

how long has he been an company driver and does he do OD ?

He's been there about a year, wants to leave but can't afford to right now. Yes he does OD loads. About 85% of their frieght is OD

[cactusjack]

He's been there about a year, wants to leave but can't afford to right now. Yes he does OD loads. About 85% of their frieght is OD

Cant afford to leave?????
OK that sends up red flags......
Not making enough money?
why does he want to leave?
How much of their freight is tarped?

I would just like to say on an personal note thank you for your time to respond to me .

[devildice]

Cant afford to leave?????
OK that sends up red flags......
Not making enough money?
why does he want to leave?
How much of their freight is tarped?

I would just like to say on an personal note thank you for your time to respond to me .

He can't afford to leave right now for financial reasons. I'll have to ask him about the tarping and get back to you.

[cactusjack]

He can't afford to leave right now for financial reasons. I'll have to ask him about the tarping and get back to you.

Thanks .... my question and i guess that you already did answered it ..... It must of been financial reasons brought about by the company!!!!
Which is a real big RED FLAG !!!!!

A little about me home time does mean alot to me but if pushed i will go out 3 weeks and be home after that but if as you stated 3-5 weeks .... Then there is just no way....
I have a wife , a life , and three children......
There is no way they would want to be with out dad for any length of time but they all know the nature of the beast and accept it.....

My previous employers have always been OTR companies but the longest i have ever been out is 2 weeks and i can count on one finger per year that has happened i am usually home during the week and 51 weekends a year.....
I make that happen for my family because we are that close...legally or not !

I am also used to making 1100-1500 weekly after taxes does not sound like that will happen there as well.....

I am an runner not a sitter and I took exception to what you have posted earlier that i would be sitting a lot. I dont do that very well.... I am one of those idle hands running the devils work shop guys.... I sit too long the next thing that i know i am making calls and stirring up the pot via getting job leads or pissing off dispatch.

May be not for me .... May be i do not have a choice but to go there.....

I am still looking for help on this company any help will be appreciated.

thank you once again.