This is a hard part of the business to master, I second guess myself a lot but my decisions always seem to work out.

 

Tracer, maybe there's more details than you posted but if you have to wait until you get a check to be able to buy fuel, you need to make some changes in your business plan. Something is not right.

 

Something else too Tracer, does Landstar have a "Hot States" feature on their board? Something you can look at to determine if you should go to certain areas.

 

I'm telling you Tracer, the money is in the Midwest. There are a ton of loads going from IL/IN/OH/KY to ON everyday on Landstar's board. Just keep a peek on them and you will see. You will get home more and make about the same money in the long run. I was doing MN to FL loads for them and making a killing, but always had to dh out of FL about 450 miles. Then, I started running short-haul stuff from Chicago to OH and back and made close to the same amount as the longer run and I got to be home on the weekends.

Sure, you will have to cross the border everytime and maybe 5-6 times a week, but that's the hand your delt when you live in 1 country and come to another. I still think you should contemplate buying a Condo or something in the US and switching over to our side. At least you can make lots more $$$ and have WAAAAY more options. Just a thought, we aren't that bad LOL

 

Having ran for Landstar for a year, and almost going bankrupt I have figured out there "HOT STATES"......... which is everything north of TN, East of IA, and west of GA. So basically IN, IL, MI, OH, KY, MO, and sometimes PA.

As for Camada loads, MI is the hot spot and it's easiest for him too. GM/Chrysler/Ford all use Landstar to run their stuff to ON, unfortunatley this is all VAN freight. I did a few FOMOCO loads and they paid $800-$900 to p/u in Woodhaven, MI and drive 35miles across the border. I just didn't get my passport so I quit going.

 

For some strange reason the Comdata fuel card they give out to drivers is a DEBIT card: it only works when you have money on it. Caught me by surprise first couple of trips. I hate it. All the cards I used before were CREDIT cards, so at least I didn't have to worry about getting fuel.

 

I did have a slight cash flow problem which I"m going to correct with Solution #1: I should stop taking freight that pays $2/mi gross to Landstar (posted rate) because then I only have $1.44/mi to the truck. Solution #2: stay within Mid-West US (closer to my home in ON).

 

They have something called "Load count" on the Search Window. I never tried it. I guess it tells you how many loads are in the area you specify. Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

 

Landstar has a list of all US states subdivided into groups when you do a load search (West, South-West, Mid-West, Mid-Atlantic, New England) and just as Steel Horse Cowboy says 'hot states' are pretty much all the states included in the Mid-West group. I figure if I do 2 trips a week only I can make the same amount of money I make now doing circles aroung the entire North America: Trip 1 from Ontario Canada to Mid-West; Trip 2: from Mid-West back to Ontario or QC (then I'd deadhead from QC to Toronto). Then shut down for 2 days and watch TV. If I do 2 trips per week, I'll only be crossing the border 2 times a week.

Mid-West: IL IN IA KS MI MN MO NE ND OH SD WI

PA is a part of the "Mid-Atlantic" group, according to Landstar.

 

The Midwest would probably work well for you, tracer. I would suggest that before you take a load that you check Landstar's loadboard and freight availability in the area where you are considering taking a load. It would give you a better idea of what is going on in that area. I would also start talking to different agents. Keep a list of those who offer better paying loads. When you are going to an area where you have a contact, give them a call before you get to the area so that they might find you something. Once agents find how you run and that you are dependable, they should start to call you with their loads, especially if you run the same lanes as where they have freight. At one time Landstar gave new BCO's a book with all of their agents. It made it much easier to establish contacts. I don't believe that they do that any more. You may already be aware of it but agents often have freight in other parts of the country other than where they are headquartered.