Tag: independent owner-operators

Road to Success Blog

Tips from a Serial Entrepreneur

The Road to Success® Podcast

Larry Long, nicknamed “The Serial Entrepreneur,” is a Landstar independent BCO and owner of Blue Ribbon Logistics who applied lessons learned from owning successful businesses outside of the trucking industry to growing his business as a fleet owner in the Landstar network.

Long frequently shares his success story with other Landstar truck independent owner-operators, like Chris Polk, who once needed guidance and now is partners with Long at Blue Ribbon Logistics.

“Chris made a very honest post on Facebook about his failures and that it wasn’t Landstar. It wasn’t the end. It wasn’t a rate. It was his lack of being a business person. If he had just put away 15 or 16 cents a mile into a maintenance account, he wouldn’t be out of business right now,” says Long in episode 12 of the The Road to Success podcast.

A few of Long’s tips:

  • Be a problem solver. Successful businesses figure out ways to solve a common problem and make money doing it.
  • Know your numbers. Know how much money it takes to operate your truck and your business.
  • Keep your overhead low. Start with a used truck and maintain your equipment to save money for upgrades down the road.

For more tips from the serial entrepreneur Larry Long and the story of Chris Polk’s U-turn in business, click below to listen to episode 12 of The Road to Success podcast, or watch the video version on Landstar’s official YouTube channel.

Tune into other episodes of The Road to Success® podcast by visiting our podcast channel or subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Mike Lamb with new truck keys

Beating the Odds

Mike Lamb wins 2022 Kenworth Truck in 2021 Deliver to Win Truck Giveaway

A Chinese proverb advises that “at the gambling table, there are no fathers and sons,” but for father-and-son Landstar business capacity owners (BCOs) Mike and Frank Lamb, the (Lamb) house won in the 2021 Landstar Deliver to Win Truck Giveaway. BCO Mike Lamb of Joshua, Texas, was selected as a finalist for the giveaway and ultimately won a concord blue 2022 Kenworth® T680, including all registration fees and taxes, at BCO Appreciation Days in Las Vegas in September.

“We’ve been to Las Vegas many times before, but I’ve never won big like this!” shared Lamb, who attended BCO Appreciation Days with his son. “I felt lucky though. And I was on a roll. After the truck giveaway, I won a truck tool in the raffle later, and several other people at my table during the event also won things from the raffle.”

Each year, one of the ways Landstar thanks BCOs for providing excellence in safety and customer service is
The Deliver to Win Truck Giveaway.

Watch Lamb pick up his truck from Landstar Corporate Headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida

One in Five Odds

Lamb was one of five finalists randomly selected for the drawing from the eligible owner-operators leased to Landstar. Throughout the year, the owner-operators automatically earn entries in Landstar’s Deliver to Win Truck Giveaway contest by delivering loads safely during the contest period. They also have opportunities to earn additional entries, including monthly contests. After the contest period ends, all entries are pooled and finalists are selected by a computerized random number generator.

The other finalists, each of whom received $500 loaded to their Comdata accounts, included:

  • Daryl K. Batty from Gadsden, Alabama
  • Tremayne Bland from Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Arthur Brown from Killeen, Texas
  • Jeff Mikel from Cleveland, Tennessee

Lucky Box B

The winner was determined by each of the finalists selecting a single box among five boxes, one of which indicated the recipient of a new truck. Lamb chose Box B in honor of his nicknames for his daughter and granddaughter, Jelly Bean and JB Jr. When the finalists all lifted their chosen boxes, Lamb’s box revealed a blue toy truck, representing the new Kenworth T680 featuring a 455 horsepower Paccar MX engine, front and rear disc brakes, Bendix Wingman Fusion Driver Assistance system and a 76-inch high-roof sleeper.

“The timing of this couldn’t be more perfect. I’m close to paying off my current truck and have been considering purchasing a second truck. And now I have two fully paid for trucks!” said Lamb.

In true Vegas fashion, Lamb celebrated his win by dancing on stage to “Blue Suede Shoes” while an Elvis impersonator sang nearby, appropriately swapping out one of the lyrics with “don’t you step on his blue new truck.”

Family Business

The father-son duo both leased on to Landstar in 2015 and share a regular route between Dallas-Ft. Worth and Laredo, Texas. They each have their own truck and alternate the two-day run between the cities, allowing them each to have time at home. The new truck means they have the option of adding a third driver to their business or keeping a back-up truck available in case of emergencies or maintenance. You can hear more about Mike and his son’s business on this episode of our Road to Sucess podcast

“I am really looking forward to the automatic transmission on the new truck,” shared Lamb, who often encounters heavy traffic during his runs on Interstate 35 in his 2016 Freightliner Cascadia. “I’m also grateful for the security a new, paid-for truck brings to my business and my family.”

“It’s an honor for us to provide such a life-changing opportunity for a BCO by giving away a new truck,” said Landstar President and CEO Jim Gattoni, who hosted the giveaway. “We appreciate all of the Landstar owner-operators who are committed to our safety-first culture and deliver excellent customer service each day.”

In true Vegas fashion, Lamb celebrated his win by dancing on stage to “Blue Suede Shoes” while an Elvis impersonator sang nearby.

Earning the Star of Quality

The Landstar Star of Quality Award is intended for members of the Landstar network who go above and beyond in representing the freight transportation industry. Each month deserving business capacity owners and independent Landstar agents are awarded a bronze, silver, gold or platinum lapel pin recognizing their efforts and individual dedication to service. And sometimes it’s the actions members of the Landstar network take when they’re not moving freight that earns them a Landstar Star of Quality Award.

Kudos to the following BCOs for their notable efforts to help others in 2020:

Landstar BCO Daniel Morales was headed by train to pick up his truck in New Jersey when the actions he took to help another earned him the Platinum Star of Quality Award. The platinum award is given in exceptional circumstances, intended for those who are faced with a life or death situation.

According to Landstar BCO Chris Higgins, who nominated Morales for the award, “When Danny saw a person disoriented and fumbling near the train tracks, he called 911. Medical professionals soon arrived. If Danny had not witnessed this person and called for help, they might have died by the train.”

Landstar Business Capacity Owners Chawn and Sheila Pierce received a Silver Star of Quality Award nomination and praise from fellow BCO Kelly Allen after the Pierce team drivers went above and beyond to help Allen get her truck back on the road.

Landstar Business Capacity Owners Chawn and Sheila Pierce received a Silver Star of Quality Award nomination and praise from fellow BCO Kelly Allen after the Pierce team drivers went above and beyond to help Allen get her truck back on the road.

As Allen explains, when her truck broke down in Tennessee, she posted about the experience on Facebook, “The Pierces saw my post and drove 57 miles to get to the truck stop, picked me up, took me to Freightliner to get the parts for my truck, drove me back to the truck stop, and then fixed the truck themselves! That’s just…Wow!”

If you would like to nominate a member of the Landstar network for a Landstar Star of Quality Award, send an email to StarQ@Landstar.com.

Outstanding Customer Service and Professionalism

November & December 2020 Star of Quality Recipients

The Landstar Star of Quality Award is intended for members of the Landstar network who go above and beyond in representing the freight transportation industry. Each month, deserving independent business capacity owners (BCOs) and independent agents earn Star of Quality awards, recognizing their extra efforts and individual dedication to service.

The outstanding efforts made by these professional men and women during November and December 2020, earned them a Landstar Star of Quality Award.

Platinum:

Daniel Morales*

*Landstar’s Platinum Star of Quality Award is only given in exceptional circumstances, intended for Landstar Heroes of the Highway who are faced with a life or death situation.

Gold:

Paul E. Davis, Gregory Lee Huggins*, Matthew Mickenberg*, Eugene Smiley Jr.

*Going Beyond the Gold – recipients have received multiple Gold Star of Quality awards.

Silver:

Kim John Blakely, Matt D. Cairns, Melvin Cairns, Hussein Hassan Dirshe, Nestor Grijalva, David James Matousek, Sheila McCraven-Pierce, James Henry Morris Jr, Chawn Pierce, Robert Rebman, Jack Simpson, Patty Simpson, Russell T. Whipps

Bronze:

Jason William Bass, Gregory Bazluki Jr., Monica Boykin Brown, Wade Allen Burns Jr., Lonnie V. Cephas, Stephen L. Champion, Lonnie Daniels, Charley Davis, Marcus Ramon Denning, Vincent Charles Fazio III, George E. Ford, Sammy Wayne Gregory, Mario Ambrus Hall, Jesse Hopwood, Cynthia Ann Hotop, Mark Hotop, Juan M. Lara Jovel, Clifton Osborne Kitson, Harjinder Singh Maan, James R. McKuin, Byron A. Mitchell Jr., Lyon Newsom III, Wesley Bruce Norton, Antonio F. Paz, Daniel Pompell, Edgar A. Recinos, Gordon E. Rickert Sr., Nolan  Jerome Russell, Elias Saldivar, Chris Sanford, Rodney D. Simpson, Lytle T. Smith III, Lonnie J. Smith, Steven Smock, Rodney D. Startin, Xingzhi Sun Sr., Larry James Sutton II, Mark J. Vike, Corey Dijon Williams, Owen Alexander Wimer

If you would like to nominate a member of the Landstar network for a Star of Quality Award, please email StarQ@Landstar.com.

The March and April 2020 Star of Quality Awards

Awarding Service Excellence

The Landstar Star of Quality Award is intended for members of the Landstar network who go above and beyond in representing the freight transportation industry. Each month, deserving independent business capacity owners (BCOs) and independent agents earn Star of Quality awards, recognizing their extra efforts and individual dedication to service. The outstanding efforts made by these professional men and women during March and April 2020, earned them a Landstar Star of Quality Award.

Gold:

Eugene Vincent Antinori*, Bill E. Ater Jr.*, Robert Francis Barnard*, Robert Bruce Boyle*, Nicolae Ilie, Joseph M. Kren, Jeron L. Long, Steven L. Loob, Anthony T. Mitchell, Andrea Elizabeth Perry*, Helen C. Smith, Shann Taylor and Ernest Ray Webb*

*Going Beyond the Gold – recipients have received multiple Gold Star of Quality awards.

Silver:

Daouda Compaore, William Edward Denny, Jacquelaine Gardner, Henry Gilbert Jr., Larry James Knotek, Sergey Lozovskiy and Jacqueline L. Merkle

Bronze:

Armando Aguilar Jr., Raymond Douglas Amos, Jaime F. Arias, Atta Ullah Azam, Richard T. Barnes, Gregory Kenneth Bell, Ronald A. Bennett, Wayne Tshombe Boston, Roger D. Bradshaw, Christopher Andre Campbell, Grace Rita Chambers, Eddie Joe Chaplin Jr., Cris Conson, Michael John Cope, Tyler Michael Crisp, John Ivory Davis, George R. Dennis II, David B. Dreggors, Maria Escamilla, Andrew Gallegos, Bobby Ray Gilbreath, Howard Allen Goldman, Walter Jacobo Gonzalez, Billie Jo Gratz, Steven Keith Gratz, Carl Wayne Hall II, Gregory Harris, William D. Hollins, Joshua Neil Honkanen, Harry Alfred Jackson II, Jimmy Jones Jr., Moise Joseph, Leonard John Kammes, Anthony S. Kaufmann Sr., Benson Githinji Kinyua, Charles Krieg, Ruben Leal, Zachary Seth Lindler, Rashawne M. Lucas, Richard Musat, David V. McCullough III, Michael Dennis McGrew, Richard McIntosh, Jennifer Denise McNabb, Randall Scott McNabb Sr., Vernon Edwin Morreira, Annita Bryan Moso, Michael Allen Nettles, Eileen Danbe Noh, Gregory Omalho Jr., Douglas Ottesen, Pedro Moso Palomo, Gilbert Vasquez Perez, Khiry Pickett, Susan Fay Rachels, Amulya Rai, Odean Anthony Richards, Prince Fernando Richardson III, Robert D. Richards, George L. Roberts, Robert L. Roepke, Joe Leland Rowland, Lugman Bashir Said, Jose Salinas Maldonado, William Broadus Semple, Tracielyn I. Depodesta Smales, Ricky Lane Smith II, Gregory D. Stewart, Chester L. Stoltzfus, William Keene Summers, Eduardo Sustaita, Robert Joseph Taylor, Anthony Kentrell Thompson, Micah G. Turner, Robert Ray Turner, Ivan Noe Vasquez, Maxine A. Wedderburn, Robert S. Wedderburn, Anthony Wells, William Dale Wix, Cecil Claude Wooster and Michael Xayapraseuth

 

Awarding The Landstar Star of Quality

November & December 2019 Recipients

Each month, deserving business capacity owners (BCOs) and agents earn Landstar’s Star of Quality Award.  The award, for members of the Landstar family who go above and beyond the call of duty, recognizes those extra efforts and an individual’s dedication to service.

Our thanks and praise to the following members of the Landstar network who represent the best in the freight transportation industry. The outstanding efforts made by these professional men and women earned them a Star of Quality Award.

Platinum:

Lloyd Cleve Tubbs

A Platinum Star of Quality is awarded in exceptional circumstances such as those faced with a life or death situation.

Gold:

Phillip M. Herlein, Randy Wayne Ladd*, Robert L. Hail Jr.*, David Milton Pearce*, Bob A. Hinchey*, Gene Douglas Tunney*

*Going Beyond the Gold – recipients have received multiple Gold Star of Quality awards.

Silver:

Jose M. Hincapie, Robert Kimble, James R. Lawson, Danial Evan Torrance Sr.

Bronze:

Hatem Abdelfattah, Korey Dion Allen, Luis Javier Alvarez Lopez, Reid Anderton, Marc E. Barry, Richard L. Blatter, Kyle Bret Bogle, William Othel Brown, Christopher Stephen Buckley, Clemente Caceres, James Caldwell, Randall Kieth Campbell, Dizella R. Carmichael, Donald Gene Colbert Sr., Lamar R. Dersone, Jesse O. Duenas, Douglas Laurence Ellis, Darla Lea Ferguson, Lori Ann Fogaras, Michael J. Fogaras III, Mark Anthony Green, Andrew Patterson Gregory, Joanne Catherine Guerrero, Charles David Hoffman Jr., Jesus Ipina Jr., Jason W. Jennings, David Legaux Jr., David Wayne Leleux, Clyde B. Linville, Timothy Dean Lucht, Anthony W. McIntyre, Ronald Gene McKim, Neil Perry Melvin, Louis H. Moseley Jr., Thomas Mowry, Anthony D. Nowicki, Michael John Payton, Emmanuel D. Presley, Thomas Lawrence Quigley, Jose Santos Rios Longoria, Terrance L. Scott, Joshua Dwain Simpson, Robert Slack, Rashied Hassan Smith, Robert Lawrence Smith, Kurt Daniel Sumner, Brian Lee Taff, Colton Lee Taff, Troy Calvin Thomas Jr.

 

176 Owner-Operators Honored During BCO All-Star Celebration

Landstar honored the best and safest Landstar owner-operators during its 8th Annual Landstar BCO All-Star Celebration held earlier this month.

The event featured an awards program during which Landstar honored 176 business capacity owners (BCOs), the company’s term for independent owner-operators who provide transportation capacity under exclusive lease agreements.

During the ceremony, Landstar inducted 14 BCOs as Landstar Roadstar® recipients, 137 BCOs as new Million Mile Safe Drivers, 22 BCOs as Two Million Mile Safe Drivers, two BCOs as Three Million Mile Safe Drivers, and presented one BCO, Million Mile Safe Driver and Roadstar Art Trezise, with the company’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The select group of honorees were celebrated during a three-day event held in Savannah, Georgia. The annual event recognizes outstanding safety records and professionalism behind the wheel. The Class of 2018 is one of the largest classes of Million Mile Safe Drivers inducted in Landstar history. Each of the inductees has driven more than one million consecutive miles without a preventable accident.

“Landstar is proud to showcase one of its largest classes of Landstar Million Mile Safe Drivers and Roadstar honorees as the industry’s best,” said Landstar President and CEO Jim Gattoni. “Their skill and dedication is worthy of a celebration.”

Of the 1,043 active Landstar Million Mile Safe Drivers, 14 individuals were awarded with the Roadstar distinction during the 2019 celebration. The Roadstar honor is one of Landstar’s highest awards for owner-operators who are chosen for their high levels of safety, productivity and excellence in customer service. Each of the 14 Roadstar inductees previously earned the Million Mile Safe Driver status. The new Roadstar class raises the total number of active Landstar Roadstar recipients to 176.

Landstar began presenting the Roadstar award in 1990.

“Landstar Roadstar recipients raise the bar for the entire trucking industry,” said Gattoni. “Their dedication to service and excellence has earned them the right to be called the most elite independent business capacity owners at Landstar.”

The Class of 2018 Roadstar® recipients

Gregory Bailey, Beverly Bickford, Michael Bickford, Lisa Brewer, Keith Campbell, Michael Cuatt, Newell Nixon, Sara Pingel, Raymond Riley, Craig Ringelstetter, Michael Smith, Charles Storey, Gene Tunney, Donald Ward

The Class of 2018 Million Mile Safe Drivers

One Million Mile Safe Drivers

Luis Alvarez, Luis Arroyo-Moctezuma, Jose Avila, John Baker, Tywarren Bandy, Daryl Batty, Gerben Bennett, Paul Benoit, Robert Berg, Casey Bergman, Bryan Bern, David Bestoyong, Beverly Bickford, Herbert Bisbey, Shaun Bladergroen, John Bledsoe, Lisa Brewer, Carl Broughton, Michelle Bump, William Bushendorf, Krzysztof Bystron, William Caldwell, Fredrick Campbell, Charles Canty, Faustino Chacon, James Christy, Charles Collins, Branko Copic, Hugo Corona, Kevin Cox, Ronald Coyle, David Craig, Fred Davidson, Bruce Davis, Mark Davis, Mark DeCooman, Pedro Diaz, Mario Dominguez, Edward Doss, Thomas Dulgar, Dwayne Dyok, Jason Eggleton, Ahmad El Amin, William Elliott, Kevin Fabrizius, Max Faulkner, William Leon Felder, Garth Ferguson, Michael Feurtado, Rodney Foley, William Forsee, Godolfredo Garcia, Miguel Garcia, Juan Garza, Milton Gernhart, Timothy Gibson, Edward Gipson, Julian Gonzalez, Gregory Green, Lola Ray Griffin, James Guhin, Oscar Guzman, Robert Haas, James Hall, David Harwell, Aaron Hayes, David Henderson, Jeanette Hendley, Phillip Herlein, Sammy Hipp, Michael Hook, Richard Horn, Randall Ince, Jeffrey Johns, Richard Johnson, Merrill Jones, Teddy Kennedy, David Lapierre, Mark Letterman, Peter Licon, Juan Luna, Miroslaw Majewski, Richard Martin, Larry Maynord, Halbert McNeill, Luis Medina, Janusz Mielniczek, Andre Morissette, Dan Morrison, Newell Nixon, Gregory Olesniewicz, Joram Ortiz, George Patenaude, John Peachey, Martell Perry, William Pierce, James Proe, Darrell Ragon, John Ralston, Ramiro Ramirez, Antonio Ramos, Gerald Rice, Steven Riddle, Ricky Rodgers, Paul Rousseau, James Rowland, Victor Ruiz, Kevin Ruth, James Schooley, Delinda Schumacher, Douglas Schuth, Ian Shaffer, Ron Shaw, Brian Sheesley, Khalid Shire, David Shortt, Ivan Sluder, James Smith, Zachary Smith, Ricky Sowell, Walter Stewart, Cary Stokes, Rocky L. Stonecypher, Jay Stuart, Bruce Tallada, Franklin Thompson, Robert Twyman, Joseph Tyler, Ronald Vibert, Cosmin Voivod, Jack Vossler, William David Voyles, Perry Warren, William D. Watkins, Daniel Willison, Jeff Wootton, Charles Wright

Two Million Mile Safe Drivers

John Babine, Willie Branch, Kim Dye, Thomas Garcia, Edward Gonzalez, Kenneth Graf, Gerald Jeffords, Charles Jones, Daniel Marg, Adrian Martin Sr., Teddy McCullough, Warren McCurdy, Mark Miglicio, Douglas Reeder, Edward Siders, Steve K. Smith, Danny Stockwell, Hubert Tobitt, Richard Vlasz, Wesley Westphal, Jeffrey Whitt, Thomas Wike

Three Million Mile Safe Drivers

John Hinckley and Michael Schmieks

2019 Landstar Lifetime Achievement Award

Art Trezise

Save Money, Download LandstarOne Today!

LandstarOne is a new mobile app from Landstar, created to give independent Landstar owner-operators one stop for all of their business needs.

“LandstarOne makes it even easier for BCOs to save money on fuel and gives them direct access to the Landstar apps they rely on to run their businesses more efficiently and effectively,” says Rocco Davanzo, Landstar Transportation Logistics executive vice president of capacity development.

Designed as a mobile portal to house all of Landstar’s exclusive mobile applications, LandstarOne gives business capacity owners (BCOs) instant access to:

  • LCAPP® Fuel Savings
  • Landstar’s Available Loads & Landstar Maximizer® apps
  • Important Landstar news and information

“Being able to subtract the LCAPP fuel discount and state IFTA is huge, it saves me work,” said Landstar BCO Jason Mollett. “The app gives me an easy way to compare fuel prices wherever I am.”

LandstarOne is available for download for iPhones in the App Store or for Android phones on Google Play. Once downloaded, BCOs should log on to LandstarOne using their LandstarOnline.com username and password. If you have questions about the LandstarOne app please email LandstarOne@Landstar.com.

LCAPP® – Landstar Contractors’ Advantage Purchasing Program is a unique, cost savings program available exclusively to Landstar business capacity owners. LCAPP frequently adds products and services to help Landstar BCOs lower their operating costs.  Visit www.LCAPP.com to learn more about the additional savings available for BCOs.