Bedbugger looking at Pacer, JRC, Landstar (skateboarding)

[frosty1024]

I,m bedbugging right now. Still home in Vero/WPB area after 3 1/2 weeks with no load. My home terminal in Houston went down...just coordinated a trip thru Austin for a run from WPB (which driver packs/additional revenue), next pick up near Atlanta..going to Northeast. Not bad line haul revenue but come on...3 weeks sitting home.. Bedbugging has just about collapsed for this winter and I don't plan on going in a deep hole that will take all next summer crawling out of....That is if there is a next summer with the economic collapse this Bush regime brought about (and McCain will further destroy when this election is stolen for the 3rd time in a row)...oops sorry didnt mean to get in to politics here. I'll probably be stuck up in Boston with no backload...then my 1 day policy kicks in (I wait 1 day at a truckstop and start deadheading home...hopefully picking up a trip on the way). By the way, we are no longer paid xtra for bulkies or long carries and the lumpers are so out of control I use only Labor Ready...no agency lumpers. Right now I've been approved by 2 flatbed companies, am submitting app. to Landstar. Any one have experience with any of the 3 aforementioned companies?? Please share it . I understand that certain flatbed companies are paying up to $5/mile to the truck due to the devastation in the hurricane hit areas.

[Rev.Vassago]

As a former bedbugger who went to Landstar (dry van division), I am quite happy here. I got out of HHG back in January of this year. I saw the writing on the wall. It takes some getting used to, running more miles, and if you can get hooked up with military freight, you are golden.

FEMA loads are a PITA. Some guys do well with them, others struggle. It is really hit and miss.

[X]

It might be that military is golden because the agents can't double broker the loads.

Mercer is recruiting for flatbeds

I have driven team flatbed for Landstar for many years. I am so angry at Landstar right now..that I don't want that to be a recommendation for or against...just saying..I do drive for Landstar... Flatbed as a Team..no accidents, no cargo claims, no late loads..but..can't give any advice beyond that

[BanditsCousin]

I am a recovering bedbugger. I left in February for an agent in the same van line (UVL) pulling speccom and am happy. I've done a few HHG moves since coming over, but for the most part it is tradeshows and electronics.

Lumpers did get out of control. Rates got drappy. 40 bucks extra for a bulky won't break you, but binding estimates can if you don't protest them.

BOL

[GMAN]

I would not expect to get $5/mile from any carrier. FEMA loads will be gone by the time you get through orientation. We did a couple and I got tired of all the disorganization. Which ever carrier you go with you need to understand that we are heading into what is normally a slower time of year for open trailers. There is still freight, but it takes time to learn any new system. You should allow a few months to get up to speed.

[zipy46]

What does 'Bed bugging' mean ??

[Rev.Vassago]

What does 'Bed bugging' mean ??

Household Goods drivers. Drivers who move people's belongings from one house to another.

[X]

When I am not angry with Landstar, there is a lot to like about the company..and usually I recommend it highly...Just not right this minute..maybe later...
Besides...I always blame Prime for everything that goes wrong as an O/O at Landstarbecause if I hadn't been having such a good time at Prime I never would have gotten starry eyed and bought my own truck...

[Walking Eagle]

Finally got tired of the Landstar BC and pulled my truck. Started with Inway long time ago with a 2 axle step and worked thru several trailers to my present one, a 3+3+3. After Landstar bought Inway it has gone steadley down hill :sad: 90% of the loads on their board for open trailers are double brokered. For the three months before I decided to do it i subscribed to Getloaded and Internet Truck Stop to see the same loads posted and what they should be paying before the Landstar broker takes off 26% (in some cases 30 to 35%). Found a good factoring company that will carry high $ loads and good insurance that wrote me a "variable" load insurance policy. Had $$$s in the bank to cover rediculus permit costs so went for it.
Dead headed home from Az to Fl, which I would have done anyway, and peeled the signs off. First load back out of Fl. paid $9,287.27 extra than if I had pulled it for Landstar, who also had it listed, that more than paid the down payment on the insurance.
For some Landstar is good as after you are signed on they front all the money for permits fuel etc. but you are paying for it in the long run.

[Walking Eagle]

Oh, and Landstar is REAL Anal about their paperwork. Will shut your fuel card off for the least little thing, like manifest number not readable on a log you sent in three months ago, and will hold you up till it is corrected, which can take till the next day if it is after noon as all faxes go into one place and then are delivered to who they are sent to. Spent three days sitting, under a load paying pilots, one time as I sent in logs with nothing in the "Shipping documents" area. If they had looked the log before that it said Empty at XXXXXX, the one after that said Loaded XXXXX.

[Rev.Vassago]

For some Landstar is good as after you are signed on they front all the money for permits fuel etc. but you are paying for it in the long run.

Considering that for many of us BCO's, we wouldn't have access to the freight we haul outside of LS, I'm sure there are quite a few who would disagree with you.

[Walking Eagle]

Also have to look at it that if you scrimped and saved (for insurance etc.) so you could keep $1000 from that $4000 load you hauled (about $890 after you factor it) How much further ahead would you be ? Landstar is still taking out insurance etc. by the month (at a lot highyer rate than is availiable on the open market) Yes, you have to have the $$s up front to get the insurance Etc. but it only cost $35 a month for Internet Truck Stop and you can get that same load that paid $4000 without giving Landstar $1000

[X]

Walking Eagle
You hit on why I am so angry...I signed on as Inway Flatbed Division and it was the best place in the entire trucking industry.....This weekend I slammed flat into Landstar Inc..Jacksonville Division..
I didn't realize how much Landstar had changed. It is ..what Gertrude Stein said about Oakland..When you get there, there isn't any There there.

[Walking Eagle]

Double Ditto that !!!

[Rev.Vassago]

Also have to look at it that if you scrimped and saved (for insurance etc.) so you could keep $1000 from that $4000 load you hauled (about $890 after you factor it) How much further ahead would you be ? Landstar is still taking out insurance etc. by the month (at a lot highyer rate than is availiable on the open market) Yes, you have to have the $$s up front to get the insurance Etc. but it only cost $35 a month for Internet Truck Stop and you can get that same load that paid $4000 without giving Landstar $1000

Okay, you are throwing a lot of misinformation around here.

First of all, the only required insurance through Landstar is their bobtail insurance. $18.99 per week. Is it more expensive than can be found elsewhere? Sure. Is it that much money? Hell no.

Secondly, your claim of "getting the same load without having to give LS $1000 for a load" is completely unfounded. Every single broker on every single load board is taking money from the loads they broker. Just like Landstar. The difference is, with Landstar, you know exactly how much they are taking.

Thirdly, Landstar does not take months to bill a load. If there is an issue on your manifest paperwork, it is brought up during the same pay cycle that you sent it in. Since they pay on a weekly basis, that means it will happen within 7 days of sending it in. And the person who is processing your paperwork will call.

Fourthly, you are absolutely right that Landstar is anal about paperwork. Especially logs. If you sent in logs that don't conform to their standards (such as not putting "loaded" or "empty" in the shipping documents area), then it is your own fault that they took issue with it. Their procedures are very clear, and are all set forth during orientation. If you choose not to follow them, and want to do things your own way, then it is nobody's fault but your own.

Fifthly, your claim of 90% double brokered freight is also unfounded. Many shippers will call several brokers on a load, and then choose the one who comes in with the best price. Just because other brokers have the load listed, doesn't mean the load is double brokered. Does it happen? Absolutely. Can you prove your 90% claim? Not in a million years.

[X]

Deleted by X

[Walking Eagle]

Just have to do the math as to how Landstar brokers are ripping BCO's. Just recently I hauled a load from Laredo Tx. into Ca., the broker I went thru had it for $91,000. Out of that I paid $17,450 (for the Mexican that brought it to the border) $14,320 in permits. $4,200 escorts, $4000 for a route survey and $5500 for police escorts in Ca. The landstar agent had it listed for $82,000 and then was going to take 26% off that !!
Hmmmm I would have done it for $60,680 for Landstar and still have had all the other charges :sad:

[Rev.Vassago]

Just have to do the math as to how Landstar brokers are ripping BCO's. Just recently I hauled a load from Laredo Tx. into Ca., the broker I went thru had it for $91,000. Out of that I paid $17,450 (for the Mexican that brought it to the border) $14,320 in permits. $4,200 escorts, $4000 for a route survey and $5500 for police escorts in Ca. The landstar agent had it listed for $82,000 and then was going to take 26% off that !!
Hmmmm I would have done it for $60,680 for Landstar and still have had all the other charges :sad:

Sounds like one agent who doesn't know how to bid a load. Luckily, there are lots of other agents in the Landstar system who do.

I see you conveniently ignored the rest of the points.....



And "X", I have no idea what your "scenario" is trying to prove, but I don't see how it has anything to do with Landstar.

[Walking Eagle]

Duno how the quote thing works but Rev. subscribe to Internet truck Stop for a month and watch the very same loads listed there with no knock of the top as a Landstar agen is listing. Sure, the first listing agent is making money, that's what they are in business for, but then the Landstar agent is taking another 26% of that.

Oh you don't have load insurance ???? Hmmmm, I just unloaded a load that was worth $4,295,000 I don't think I would have hauled it without someone underwriting it ![/quote]

[Walking Eagle]

Think X is on some good stuff or hit the wrong key