Landstar - following the lead of TQL

[Jim L]

We just had a situation where a Landstar agent booked our truck to load in the US. The appointment time was 2pm. Our driver arrived early at 12noon. He was told at the time that the load is not ready; put it in the dock door and we'll come get you when its loaded. Understandable, expecting 2 or 3pm but....

Hour by hour went by and phone call after phone call to the Landstar agent with the same response, just get your in and out times on the bills - we'll take care of it. 2.45am the driver gets awoken from banging on the door and being told that he has been loaded and he has to leave. We get the bills noted and get the guard shack to photocopy the log of in and out times.

The next morning we are told that Landstar can't pay anything because the appointment was for 4am and we were lucky to be loaded early. I found out that the agent couldn't find anyone that would be there at 4am so they lied and said 2pm the previous day.

Now the story gets worse. I disagree with the waiting time and the agent will not amend the load sheet as "If the agent doesn't get paid, the carrier doesn't get paid". The best they will do is $100.00. I say this is unacceptable so my next phone call is Landstar corporate.

I go through the hoops and finally get someone at carrier relations/customer care who says its out of his hands and you'll have to work with the agent.


Unfortunately, Landstar corporate will let anyone become a Landstar Agent so be careful. Some agents are horrible and they will not pay anything, other than what is written on the load confirmation sheet. Corporate will not assist in bargaining or finding middle ground - they will do nothing.

We now have it noted that if there is detention the agent has to send the load sheet hour by hour or we will be forced to leave. Obviously Landstar will be our last choice - as it TQL for the same reasons.


Be careful..

 

[theman]

You're right. Your experience with Landstar will depend on the agent. They are all independent and Landstar corporate mostly acts as the capital outlet for the agents to run through. If anything it's worse because it's completely decentralized.

 

[Freight Broker]

Landstar and TQL both call me on posted loads every week. Landstar I will consider as they're actually a carrier with trucks leased/owned under their name. Service is fine.. no complaints. They sure do have alot of young agents though. Nothing wrong with youth I guess.

 

[Trukker]

It was probably triple brokered

 

[LOGISTICSMAN66]

We just had a situation where a Landstar agent booked our truck to load in the US. The appointment time was 2pm. Our driver arrived early at 12noon. He was told at the time that the load is not ready; put it in the dock door and we'll come get you when its loaded. Understandable, expecting 2 or 3pm but....

Hour by hour went by and phone call after phone call to the Landstar agent with the same response, just get your in and out times on the bills - we'll take care of it. 2.45am the driver gets awoken from banging on the door and being told that he has been loaded and he has to leave. We get the bills noted and get the guard shack to photocopy the log of in and out times.

The next morning we are told that Landstar can't pay anything because the appointment was for 4am and we were lucky to be loaded early. I found out that the agent couldn't find anyone that would be there at 4am so they lied and said 2pm the previous day.

Now the story gets worse. I disagree with the waiting time and the agent will not amend the load sheet as "If the agent doesn't get paid, the carrier doesn't get paid". The best they will do is $100.00. I say this is unacceptable so my next phone call is Landstar corporate.

I go through the hoops and finally get someone at carrier relations/customer care who says its out of his hands and you'll have to work with the agent.


Unfortunately, Landstar corporate will let anyone become a Landstar Agent so be careful. Some agents are horrible and they will not pay anything, other than what is written on the load confirmation sheet. Corporate will not assist in bargaining or finding middle ground - they will do nothing.

We now have it noted that if there is detention the agent has to send the load sheet hour by hour or we will be forced to leave. Obviously Landstar will be our last choice - as it TQL for the same reasons.


Be careful..

Good Morning

I have been using Landstar in Sacramento for 13 years to move my interstate dry and machinery moves.

You are right it is all about the agent.

 

[Krystle]

We've had one too many issues when the freight go from a Landstar agent to another carrier. So if we use Landstar, we tell our agents that they need to be a LANDSTAR truck or we don't use them for that order.

 

[Trukker]

We've had one too many issues when the freight go from a Landstar agent to another carrier. So if we use Landstar, we tell our agents that they need to be a LANDSTAR truck or we don't use them for that order.

Same here . Once had a shipment I gave to Landstar and it had been brokered 3 times . I tell them it has to be on a Landstar truck but who knows as some agents will just tell you what you want to hear . Easiest way to fix is just not give them any loads .

 

[duke22]

Landstar booked an ltl US Domestic with me , was paid $900, carrier they brokered it to after that turned around and went after the shipper (not my customer btw) for almost $5,000... Funny thing is neither the shipper or my customer has ever heard of the carrier that hauled the load. I am waiting to hear that Landstar has paid the common carrier before I cut them a check. Apparently I can't get the special discount they have with the carrier and have no choice but to play along. Needless to say they have been cutoff. Watch out for the AZ offices they have been on my DNU for years, absolutely brutal.