Hey Ryan, love your content, I'm a BCO as well. I wanted to comment on the part of the video where you discuss Mercer's trailer fee; a fixed rate of about $650.00 per month. What's interesting is how carriers present and hide some cost. On the surface it would appear Mercer's fixed cost for a trailer is something Landstar doesn't charge, but they do and it's a variable cost. Because they don't list it as a line item, I find it easy to forget that I AM paying a trailer fee at 7% of the gross revenue. If I average 5k per week in gross revenue, I'm essentially paying $350.00 per week or $1,400.00 per month for a trailer; more than double the amount charged at Mercer. If someone financed a trailer for $500.00 per month, they would profit $900.00 based on the revenue of 5k per week. Just something me and the wife noticed. Every penny counts...keep doing what you're doing, love your channel. ..
Any of your viewers, that watch this are getting good content. I didn't make it at Landstar but still think they are the best thing going for O/O. I can't drive anymore but if I could I'd go back to Landstar.
Here is the link to the other popular video where Ryan reviewed Mercer transportation: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4_1YTc2vZ4A.html
I left Mercer a month ago. Tired of the far deadheads. Even if u find your own load, we don’t work with them. The trailer rental stuff. They do treat u nice, and the fuel discount is sweet, but Wasn’t making money, now i get 82% load no trailer rental fee. Happy
They're not a terrible company as I said, I do recommend them to some drivers. In this business, in a lot of cases, you make about the same money, no matter were you are, its just a matter of how they split things up. I like a lot of choice and freedom and I feel I get more of that at Landstar, so its a better fit for me, but thats not the case for everyone. If you have something that works for you, then run with it!
I agree, I would recommend them to a new owner op, they are very nice, you learn a lot but for me in there dry van div.. just didn’t work. They big money runs are a joke, plus how you still have to pay trailer rental fee if u haul power only for UPS or Fed Ex during Xmas rush. Was told if u find the load yourself u get a higher percentage ( not true) if you don’t pick a load fri be4 your coordinator goes home you stuck till Monday. You do a drop and hook on a trailer that’s behind on inspection, they will put u out of service for something that’s not your fault. Its easy to get caught up on the fuel discount ( which is incredible) and the getting paid off every load once u deliver. But when u Do the math you will see u not making the money u should especially in dry van.
I agree. Don't like the coordinator set up at mercer. The load board sucks as well. Trying to talk to brokers in the mercer system isn't ideal. I call them & the lds are gone. Most of the freight is under 2 dollars a mile. Looking to run out of mercer soon.
Mercer is a good company and you can make good money its up to the individual. I have met people that love landstar and some that hated landstar google landstar law suit for screwing over the driver. Both companies have some kind of rule that's crazy it just depends on what a deal breaker for you.
I’m an O/O running under my own authority and have applied to both. I’m getting a better vibe from the Mercer people so far. Both claim that after all costs to company is over 3 dollars a mile to drivers. Do you find that to be true for FB? Also Land Star is 27% Mercer is 25%, my truck and trailer. What makes either attractive is they have dedicated freight, fuel cards, cargo ins. Discounts On tires and maint.
I have two close friends leased to Mercer one has been there twelve years they both do great. When I bought my truck that is not where I really wanted to go but I followed my friends lead because this was my first owner operator venture. I stayed there six months I did make money but I had difficulties with there system as well. I ended up going to the company I wanted to go to first. I do pretty good here there system is pretty easy to deal with although it has its problems also but that's with every company. I sorta felt the same way about Mercer as you do.
You give the best information. Landstar won't hire me because I don't have recent road experience although I've been driving for 20 years and 10 were over the road. I'll get started somewhere else and Landstar will be the next move.
Hey Ryan! Your content is great. It's always informative and I always turn to your channel for trucking related information. I have applied to Landstar and take my drug test when I go on home time next Friday. I've been with Prime inc company for 2 years and I'm really excited to start this part of my trucking journey. Was going to ask you if you wouldn't mind posting a video or even sending me a message about this owner operator adventure. For example i can do a basic pre/post trip on my truck every day but id like to know what more detailed things i should be looking at as an owner op now over company. Such as that video you talk about feeling your rims and tires for over heating. Also im looking to finance a truck. I have good money saved up so im wondering your thoughts on buying a new truck or a used one to save more for the business? I look forward to your advice. You arr very knowledgeable and I appreciate your content. Keep up the hustle and ill catch you on the back haul my friend.
Excellent video Ryan. How many loads you plan in advance? Considering that you drive all day (or night), and a good load can last a few minutes or seconds on the load board, what is your strategy ?
I try to book out 2 weeks, but that doesn't always happen. I typically only do long haul, Midwest to west coast and back, coming out of the house I don't really mess with anything under 1500 miles. I will occasionally take a short run if it works into my plans, but I have never made the revenue I want chasing the high-rate short miles, you just don't get enough volume. I have always done better with a middle of the road rate on higher mileage loads. Plus, its less people to deal with when you're on a load for 3 or 4 days, less chance of cancelations, and getting held up at shippers/ receivers for hours at a time.
I’m considering going the route of Landstar. This economy has got me glued to a company driver position for now. The info you offer on your channel is very good as I research this possibility. I have to admit I am scared, but at least I am capable if most of my own maintenance. Keep up the videos! Thanks brother
Hey, did you ended up at landstar? I’m looking to join Mercer cause I looked into it plus I like getting pay after every load. Loads really sucks for dryvan so I’m going to join the flatbed ppl. Flatbed seems to be doing great now than dryvan
"$3,800 for a week and a week and a halfs work" Subtract out your pay per say, truck maintenance/ replacement account, health insurance food and misc. Pretty clear its not worth it in the long run.
Mercer has cheaper insurance and quicker pay but not much freight for vans. Lanstar has better discounts but not much freight for skateboard tons of dry van. Alot of landstar freight is brokers trying to figure out what to bid freight at. Some people are not self starters so a dispatcher works better for them. Some people don't want to be told what to do by a dispatcher.
Just out of curiosity, sounds like no matter where you’re at it’s going to average around 50,000 per quarter gross, what kind of expenses comes off of that though,
I just mentioned the same thing about the trailer inspections. Because it does take up too much time with every trailer you pick up from drop and hook.
I would like to know too. Cause I’m about to sign in with Mercer. I like a lot about Mercer especially the you get pay after every load. I’m going to do flatbed since the Dryvan loads are too low and flatbed making more money. Let me know how is it!!!
I have never had a problem speaking directly to an agent. EVER!! I can't relate to your trailer issues? I run flatbed/step deck. As for inspections, you live in Ohio and getting through Louisville ONCE a year is too much for you? You only have to get your trailer/tractor inspected at Louisville once a year. Yeah, must be a real pain having someone grease your trailer. Stop by a truck stop and get er done. Me thinks you just like to complain. You should sack up and get a flatbed, all those trailer issues will go away. Best of luck at Landstar.
Please do a video on Alaska trips, fare rates, how bad is the trip to get there and how you manage to get out of there making revenue. I’ve seen people say that they had to deadhead all the way back 🤔🤔🤔
You are 100% correct Mercer sucks I wouldn't go back to Mercer if it was the last job or last owner operator company on this planet yes they do play politics they have drivers that they like those are the ones who gets the best loads just coming on to Mercer you just now hard on they going to give you all the trash they going to give you all the trailers that you always have to go Greece they will run your business into the dirt
Hey Ryan are you able to use your own fuel card at LS ? I have a NASTC fuel card and get really good discounts and I’m considering coming on board in the near future but I would like to avoid doing the fuel advance thing if I can
Good question! You can use whatever you want, but you will have to send all your fuel receipts in for IFTA taxes if you don't use Landstar's card. Honestly, unless you are getting a huge discount, you will want to use Landstar's card. At TA/Petro I'm getting anywhere from $.50 to over $1 off per gallon, at Pilot, FJ, Loves, I get around $.25, sometimes more. It only costs you $1.75 to load your card, no interest charge, and that money does not come out of your settlement until the load in which you took the advance on settles, it is really one of the bigger perks here, its a huge savings if you are using 15k to 20k gallons of fuel a year.
Road-Field-Home with Ryan & Sophia thanks for the response.. And yes with NASTC especially in the Northeast where I run I’m seeing about the same discounts and only reason I would prefer using my own is because it’s an actual credit line under my business name and reports to the credit agencies..
You need to add when you pick up a trailor They want you to do a maintenance report on the previous month that you did not have that trailor will be leaving mercer soon
Another great video man. I wanted to ask you, I heard you mention El Paso, west texas and New Mexico being hard place to get good loads. We will be moving to El Paso in the next few months since I've been gone close to 20 years and leaving in Denver Colorado has gotten to expensive to live. Any how , all my family is in trucking and yes they all run out of El Paso and yes El Paso is know for horrible rates. Man I know guys that are leaving El Paso for less than a dollar a mile gross 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼.. so what did you see as long as rates? I've talked to some bso"s from landstar there in the petro that live in El Paso and I've been told that the key is to get on with a good agent, but that since there's a lot of bso"s locally that they are very cut throat. This guy also told me that there are guys that will call landstar and report you if they see your trailer parked for more than a week 🤷🏻♂️.. just wanted to ask you about the rates you saw out of el Paso. I also contacted your insurance but they said they couldn't help since I recently got my cdl again and it's less than 3 years. That my 14 year I had it Before don't count 👎🏼👎🏼🤷🏻♂️.. sorry for the long message lol.. keep on trucking man.. love the videos!!
Hi, El paso and much of the border area with Mexico can be a challenge, unless you are in with and agent, but in my opinion, the rates still suck compared to other areas. You can get pretty good loads going from the border areas up to the pacific northwest though, i see those a lot, but i an usually heading back east at that point. As far as the trailers sitting, Landstar's policy is 10 days, then you have to call in to trailer utilization and tell them, thats what I've been told. If you plan to run out of that area (el paso), my strategy would be to get a load out of the area, and stay out for 2 weeks or so in better freight areas, where there is less of the cut-throats that like hauling freight for $1.10 a mile.
Road-Field-Home with Ryan & Sophia thanks for the reply. That's my plan. Probably be out 14-21 days then come home for a while. I've worked 14/14 schedule and 28/28 for years and years so I don't mind being gone that long. Is there anyway I can email you or any other way to contact you? I have more questions for you and all your knowledge you are passing is gold . I've been around truckers in my family all my life but I know that most of them don't have the concept of a business that's why El Paso rates are so cheap because they haul anything. My Brother in law hauls only to los Ángeles with his small small fleet of 5 trucks. Most of his load out of El Paso are for about 1.00🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️. With drivers and truck payments his making like .20 cents per mile 👎🏼👎🏼. Lol..
They do discuss the policy, the problem is that guys get rid of the trailers due for inspection/ grease doing a drop and hook, then the next guy gets screwed. Its a real problem if you are already booked out, and their lack of inspection sites is total BS, not to mention you are paying for this trailer and have no say.
There is a guy that I listen to on RU-vid, he started back at landstar and after class he waited 8 days and still did not have a trailer, people that came in after him were leaving out with empty trailers, how unfair that is. I just wonder if they were messing with him
Hey buddy do you know if I live in Ontario Canada could I work for LS? And is it possible to make 10 000 $ US after fuel and fees to LS? I am not talking about truck payment just fuel, insurance, tools and what else LS is charging.
Yes, Landstar does hire Canadians. I myself average about 12 to 15k 1099 income which is what you are referring as $10,000 in US. But I cannot comment on Canadian loads.
It seems Mercer got a legal issue on the horizon. The way they behaving isn't B2B more like "employer and employee". That will create a huge blackhole liability really with backlog employee compensation (owner operators reclassified as employee of the company hence charges with employee benefits and so on)
They were handling the California AB5 bill in a strange manner as well, and I would be glad to go in depth on that as well if anyone is interested, didn't really make sense to me.
If i was ur sister who put in app for mercer and landstar coming from schneider ic what company would u recommend.. is it true as long as u make over $5000 to the truck u wont be broke?
I worked for both Landstar and Mercer, made pretty good money on both places. Mercer is starter friendly company, you can get your foot in the door with this company. When you gain some experience and if you want to get more freedom on your own business, you can go with Landstar. Feel free to check out my other Mercer review video posted two months ago. I shared many comparisons between these two companies. As far as $5,000, it really depends on your personal financial situation, such as truck payment, and other personal expenses, such as house payment, car payment, etc... just make sure after your business expense such as truck payment and insurance payment, you still have enough to live a satisfying life. Hope it helps a bit. Feel free to check out my other videos about trucking business in general, and make the right decision.
I work at mercer pull flatbed made 238431 last year i was off 2 months and home every weekend but one last year I fine my on loads you don't know what you are doing in my eyes
Wow man....good info. Mercer sounds like being a company driver, but union with a dispatcher on your payroll? The only difference is, you're not being paid by the hour for downtime while getting stuff fixed that shitty people leave for the next guy. You are totally correct....you can't run a profitable business that way....shitty wannabe O/Os are making YOUR money! Screw that.....you need to get your own authority and trailer.
Not sure how you figure Mercer is like being a company driver. Remember, this is ONE driver's experience at a company. There are quite a few happy and successful drivers at Mercer.
@@steveroberts4911 , Depending on a coordinator who might cancel your load enroute to give it to one of their favorites. Did you even watch the video? To me, that's the same as being a company driver with a dispatcher.
@@PTucker0864 well, having been at Mercer for almost 2 years, I can't personally relate to the posting driver's issues. I haven't had any. Again, he was a van driver so, that may have something to do with it. All I know is, my 1st year with Mercer, I drove 30% fewer miles than the previous non Mercer year and made over 35% more in revenue. That being said, it's pretty simple math. You can stay a company driver, nothing wrong with it, or, if you want, you can get a truck and find a company like Mercer and make what I consider to be great money for what I do. Example, my last trip. Tucson to Indian lake, NY. $5,400 for 3 1/2 days work. One trip and my monthly expenses, except for fuel, are paid for. Sorry, but that isn't company driver money. As far as getting $500 more on a trip without asking, happened to me here once. How am I gonna complain about that? The rate the trip was paying was good enough for me to book it. The extra $500 was just that, EXTRA. You guys need to stop treating people who lost here as authorities on the trucking business. They are drivers just like everybody else here. Some guys will cry because they have to pay to wash their own truck. Take their posts with a grain of salt and do your own research before you just start parroting what they said. Have a safe day. Infantry leads the way!!!
@@steveroberts4911 , You still skirted around the issue about coordinators taking care of their favorites before a load ever posts. Maybe you're a favorite? That, to me, is what makes it like being a company driver. No, not company driver pay by any means. But if you can't trust the ones who control the loads, that is not having control of your business. Maybe this isn't the first video I've watched on RU-vid regarding this practice?
@@PTucker0864 no, I didn't. I said, " I can't relate" in regards to his issues. That means, I've never had that issue. You can cry and whine all you want but, I'm happy where I am. If you aren't, move. If you, like so many others, just want to complain about who you work for, drive on. Myself, I have better things to do with my time. Have a great day and don't ever forget those who served and sacrificed so that you can have the freedoms you enjoy.
You have some good points......but NOT all of landstar loads are on the board period. Fact. I'm a non landstar truck.if you need some really good help send me an email
im new to landstar.. and trying to figure out the cash advance for fuel..im understanding it but i wonder if getting my owm line of credit would be better? thoughts??
The landstar card is your best option, the discounts are amazing! I had my own account at TA before coming to Landstar, my discount was only $.08 a gallon, and they pull the money that you spent out of your bank every week, regardless if you have delivered a load, unlike using Landstar's. Definitely recommend using the landstar card, it's a huge advantage.
You get a 30% advance on every load + fuel.. example, 2k load of that $300 is fuel. You'd get 30%of $1700 or $510+$300(fuel), so $810 total advanced to you.. youll spend some on fuel. Save some on card for expenses or direct deposit the extra home.
So tell me how you like dealing with all those lying agents o yeahvthat load is cover even know they just post it alot of load in the load board in land star are bad
To me, trucking is really not worth it. Until one looks at the fact that there isn’t many good jobs left in this country unless you know somebody. “They” have sent so many jobs overseas that they have choked pay increases. Trump said he was going to bring the jobs back. Well, how come now when I call my bank or phone company I get a person in China? Yes, at&t tech support called me back and caller ID said Mainland China. So, my point is that truck driving considering the amount one has invested in equipment and hours worked looks great, but it ain’t.
He have a personal vendetta against Mercer, because most of what he said about them is a lie!!! I've been at Mercer for 4 years, so I know for a fact that he's lying
There not a terrible company, just not for me! If someone was looking to get started in the owner op side, it might be a good place to start, but if you really want more control over your loads and business, I'd go somewhere else.
Talking about Vegas yes guys go to Vegas they took the load out 99 % take the load back thats the way its always been so west there for 4,5,6 days it's because we brought it out .....happy trails
You can sit for 10 days, any longer than that, you are supposed to call trailer utilization and let them know. They might make you take it somewhere or give it to someone else, but I've never had an issue, I actually went to south Asia two years ago for 18 days, without any problems.
2 coordinators in 4 months? Is just a starter on why not to play attention to this guy. Then if you look at his videos. In less than a year he is posting about leaving Landstar. One thing he doesn't mention. He is the common denominator. People like this just cause a SMDH reaction with me!!!
@@truckingandfixing do the deductions in trucking make a big difference? I haven't been an O/O before, but I pretty much do everything an O/O does as far as finding loads, dispatching myself out, talking to agents, brokers, shippers and receivers. People I work for just let me go so I'm comfortable with all that, I'm just wondering about taxes and things like that.
Owner operator isn’t worth the headache to make 200k… you’ll spend half for gas, maintenance and insurance. Making 100k or more as a company driver seems way less stressful.
2:25 per mile are you kidding me? These guys are reason why our rate will never improve, the lowest rate for me to haul just to take me home will be 3 per mile
how's that workin out for ya? i have my own authority, and the reason im even looking at these videos is because the spot market is so bad right now im having trouble finding loads paying $2 which i agree with you is ridiculous, but how are you finding $3+ right now?
