You Aren’t A Company Driver Anymore

May 3, 2019 - Larry W. Long

I'm recycling an older post that I made a couple of months ago for this week's rant. I think it is worthy of repeating.

1. You new BCO's that have just come from another carrier...LS is a conglomerate of independent business people, both drivers (BCOs) and Agents. When you start your post by stating..."at my last company"...just STOP. LS is not like your last company. Any comparison from that point on is unnecessary. You're in a completely different situation now...you're a BUSINESS OWNER...act like it! If you want to be a company driver like you were before, sell your truck and go back. We are referred to as Business Capacity Owners here, with "owners" being the key word. Some of you still have an "employee" mentality which will not suit you well in our environment. Your success here will be dependent on you establishing a "business-to-business relationship” with LS, Agents and customers.

2. We have AGENTS not brokers. Here, LS is the broker authority and all the agents work under that authority. With that being said, it is IMPOSSIBLE for an agent to screw you out of money. The shippers do not pay the agents, they pay LS and then both you and the agent are paid simultaneously by LS. An agent has no incentive to pay you less, the more you make, the more he makes. The typical load pays the agent about 7% and you about 65%, he cannot pull money out of the air to pay you more just because you ask for it. His margin is much less than yours. Just like BCO's, there are good, better, and best agents. LS doesn't discriminate against "less than desirable" BCO's and neither do they against certain problematic agents. It's up to you to establish a good working relationship with the agents that fit your personality and business model.

3. If you do not like the rules and procedures here at LS (the same ones you agreed to when you signed your contract) please reconsider your decision to be here. We have a very good thing going here and those of us who respect and comply with the rules are not the least bit interested in you screwing this up. In my opinion, LS is the best place to lease on a truck, but it's not for everybody. If being a businessman isn't one of your strengths, then I would make it one immediately or your days here will be numbered.

4. Getting on FB and whining about LS policies and procedures are a waste of time. Notice that I used the word "we" a lot in this rant. LS is a team that we are all a part of. I can't stand it when I see a post referring to LS as "they" or "it" or "them". LS is us, all of us. Either join us and be a part of the greatest opportunity in the industry today, or please find anther carrier and move on. You will find many people in these groups who are willing to help you and a few who will make fun of you. That’s just human nature. You'll grow some thick skin here, but we all learn from each other in the end, even if you disagree from time to time.

I'm done...This is my opinion and I welcome yours.

Have a nice weekend.