Blue Ribbon Podcast

We aren’t shy about our opinions of new trucks, especially those built between 2008 and 2015 - they suck! They’re WORTHLESS! Success in business is all about managing risk and lowering expenses. These are two things that don’t mix with new trucks. Trucks built after 2007 are notoriously unreliable and the costs that come with them are generally prohibitive. The clock is ticking on our old trucks and we know that someday we may have to move into the “new” trucks. In this episode we will talk about how to “lunatic” a new truck and manage the risk that comes with them.

The difference between success and failure in business is how well you can solve problems. It is the first lesson we teach when we hire a new driver. Adversity is coming. It is inevitable. How well are you prepared to handle all the things that will be thrown at you while you're running your business? We will give some examples of how we deal with big problems as a fleet and how you can learn how to do it with one truck.

We’re gearing up for our next Live Event coming at the end of July. We’re still adding trucks and we will bring you up to speed on our latest editions. We have a few more maintenance stories and we need to talk about drivers being robbed by 1099 thieves. We will also talk about leases and what a horrible choice that is.

This episode will be an open discussion. We will catch you up on what we’ve been up to. We will be taking viewer questions as normal.

We talk to a lot of people who tell us they’re interested in becoming a business owner. We even hire a few of them. Too often we find that knowing what to do and then doing it presents a challenge too great for some. This is an episode about how difficult it really is to run a business and keep it open. Do you REALLY have what it takes? Tune in and find out.

The latest numbers are in from ATBS - the largest accounting service for truckers. We will dive into the numbers and talk about the importance of keeping score.

We will also provide an update on our new BCO Mentoring Program. We had an event in March and it was a blast.

We have mentioned many times that we have a desire to help people that already have a truck or aren’t able to join our program directly as a driver. The time has come for us to let you know that program is ready and available. We recently learned that an astounding 60% of new BCOs leave Landstar in the first six months. We believe that happens because people come to Landstar unprepared to maximize the opportunity. We believe this program will provide the help a lot of people need and we’re thrilled to let you know about it.

Selecting the right loads for your business involves strategy and forethought. You must know your costs in order to know what loads to choose. We will talk about how we choose what lanes we run and how we pick loads to make the most for our drivers and our company.

Many great opportunities exist in the trucking industry. We stand by our belief that building wealth is easier in trucking than in any other. However, there are many scams that a driver can get caught up in, and they aren’t necessarily easy to see coming. We are going to discuss ways to avoid getting caught in the web of these predatory contacts and how to achieve your goals in a safe and less risky way.

It’s time to address some hot topics that come up with how the Landstar system works. We see heated debates pop up whenever there is a dip in the market, and they’re showing up again over the last couple of weeks. There is a fundamental lack of understanding of how the Landstar system works and it leads to a lot of confusion and stress. We will break them all down:

- How Third Party Logistics loads get on the Landstar board and how to deal with them.

- What are “Copy and Paste Agents” and what do they do that makes everyone so angry?

- The issue of “Bait and Switch Loads” where BCO’s believe they’re being manipulated by agents to take a lower rate.

This is gonna be a hot one! Don’t miss it!