CEO On Wheels

12/10/2025

🚚 Big Congrats to a True Pro — Gary Buchs!

I want to take a moment to give a huge shoutout to someone who represents everything great about this industry.

Gary Buchs, long-time Landstar BCO and someone I’ve had the privilege of working with, was just named Overdrive Magazine’s Owner-Operator of the Year — and let me tell you, nobody deserves it more.

Gary is the definition of a professional driver:
✔ dependable
✔ safety-focused
✔ communicates with purpose
✔ treats people with respect
✔ always learning and sharing what he knows

He’s one of those rare people who not only does the job well…
he makes everyone around him better.

Proud of you, Gary — and grateful for everything you’ve done for this industry and for the Landstar family.

If you see this man’s name, know you’re looking at the real deal.

12/05/2025

🚚 A Big Thank You to Our BCOs

Just want to take a minute today to appreciate the BCOs who’ve been out there helping with the recent data-center rollout work.

These runs aren’t easy — early mornings, tight windows, sensitive equipment, and a whole lot of pressure behind the scenes. But you handled it like the pros you are.

Most people will never understand what goes into this kind of freight… the planning, the securement, the patience, the communication, the long days. But I see it. And I’m grateful for it.

To every BCO involved:
Thank you for showing up, staying disciplined, and doing your job with pride.
Couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with.

Truly appreciate you all. 🙏💪

12/03/2025

Had a rare day off down in Atlanta, so instead of doing what I normally do (accidentally work through it), I actually took Covey’s advice from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and sharpened the saw a little.

Nothing crazy — just walked around Ponce City Market, tried some new foods, grabbed a coffee, people-watched, let the brain breathe. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

McConaughey says you’ve gotta take care of the You and the I — and he’s right.
If you don’t step out of the grind once in a while, you forget who’s actually doing the grinding.

In this business, we preach work hard.
But sometimes the most productive thing you can do is slow down, reset, and come back with a clearer head.

So here’s to anyone out there hustling, building, managing chaos, or carrying a million responsibilities — just don’t forget to take care of the engine that makes all that possible: you.

Stay safe out there.

12/02/2025

Office of the Day 😅

Out here wearing the hard hat one minute and answering emails from the front seat the next.

As an agent, the office is wherever the work is.
Truck, jobsite, parking lot… doesn’t matter. Freight keeps moving, and so do we.

Wouldn’t trade it for anything. 💪

11/22/2025

🚛 Weekend Reset for a Strong Week Ahead

To all my BCOs — hope you’re getting a chance to breathe a little this weekend.
In this business, the days blur, the miles stack up, and the weeks move fast.

That’s why the weekend matters.
Not because the freight stops…
but because you get a chance to reset, refuel, and get your mind right for another strong week out there.

A good reset doesn’t always mean resting — it means preparing.
Cleaning the truck.
Checking equipment.
Lining up your week.
Spending time with family.
Doing the things that put you in the right headspace to handle whatever the next load throws your way.

Monday hits different when you used Saturday and Sunday to get centered.

Appreciate all of you — stay safe, stay sharp, and let’s have a solid week ahead. 💪🚛

11/19/2025

🌅 Early morning on the job site today.

Safety meeting at 7AM… sunrise lift right after.

There’s something about being out here before the world wakes up — boots in the dirt, crews locked in, and everyone moving with purpose.

This is the side of the work most people never see: the planning, the teamwork, the trust… and the pride in doing it right.

Grateful to be part of projects like this and to work alongside people who take safety and ex*****on seriously.

Not a bad way to start a Wednesday. 💪

11/07/2025

🚛 Big Weekend Ahead!

We’re proud to team up with our fellow Landstar agencies for the upcoming BCO Safety Meeting in Grand Blanc, MI — Saturday, November 8th!

This meeting will focus on Cargo Theft, Security, and Prevention — topics that matter to every driver who takes pride in doing things the right way.

Sponsoring Agencies:
🟦 LAN | L-5 Transportation
🟦 GBM / Belcher & Dennis Corporation
🟦 Sandbear Express
🟦 Money Transportation
🟦 RBL
🟦 WSH

And of course… it wouldn’t be a proper safety meeting without some great giveaways!
💵 $5,000 in cash
🚛 10 sets of steer tires
💻 Laptops & Bluetooth headsets
🎁 Gift baskets and more

📍 Genesys Banquet & Convention Center – Grand Blanc, MI
📅 Saturday, November 8th | 6 PM (Breakfast 8 AM | Lunch Provided)

Come join us for food, prizes, and a chance to strengthen what makes this network special — professional drivers and agents who put safety first.

10/27/2025

🚨 Hot Take:
The fact that dry-van contract rates have hovered around ~$2 / mile (including fuel surcharges ~$2.42) for two full years is not just a lull—it’s a structural warning sign.
Trucking Dive

In simpler terms: the freight market isn’t just slowing down—it’s stuck in neutral.

🔍 Why this matters:

It shifts power back to shippers: With prices flat, they’re holding the cards.

For carriers/owner-operators: Margins are squeezed, fuel/maintenance inflation still real.

For brokers and 3PLs: Efficiency, service differentiation and value become survival tools—not just rate negotiation.

For the industry as a whole: If the last 20 years’ cycles always had movement and now we’re “paused”, something’s changed.
Trucking Dive

✅ What I’m doing with this:

Advocating smart rate strategies: As a carrier/agent in the mix, you must build flexibility instead of chasing “average lane rates”.

Strengthening value proposition: Emphasize what you do (reliability, drop-and-hook, tech/data visibility) not just the cost.

Preparing for surge mode: If/when the market un‐pauses, capacity will be tight — have assets, talent and processes ready.

Risk-adjusting for the flat zone: Reassess equipment life-cycle, driver pay structures, fixed cost exposure — because flat rate + rising costs = real margin risk.

🎯 Call-to-Action for the Network:
For shippers: If you see flat rates, ask your carriers: “What extra value am I getting for these rates?”
For carriers/BCOs: Don’t wait for rates to move up—take proactive steps now. Start the conversation with why you deserve more, not just how much.
For brokers/agents: Your job just got harder—rate isn’t the differentiator any more, service is. Step up.

💬 Closing thought:
Flat isn’t safe. It’s a trap. When the cycle finally resumes, companies that used this pause to evolve will win—those who stayed idle will watch rates go higher and still struggle to capture value.
Let’s lead from ahead, not just follow the rates.

The freight cycle has essentially been put on pause, DAT’s chief of analytics said Oct. 13.

10/15/2025

Every shipment tells a story.
This one? 88,000 pounds of precision-engineered equipment, handled with the same care we give every load — whether it’s machinery, consumers goods, chemical tote, or a one-off project move across the country.

60' L x 12' W x 14' H

From the planning desk to the driver’s straps, every detail matters.
✅ Correct trailer selection
✅ Weight and dimension compliance
✅ On-site coordination with the shipper
✅ Real-time communication until delivery

We don’t chase volume — we execute precision.
That’s what sets L-5 Transportation apart inside the Landstar network.

09/03/2025

🚨 Wheel Check: Personal Conveyance – Use It Right 🚨

One of the biggest questions I hear from drivers is: “Can I use personal conveyance to move my truck without it counting against my HOS?”

Here’s the breakdown:

✅ Personal conveyance (PC) is when you use your CMV for personal reasons, off-duty, and not for advancing a load or positioning for your next dispatch.
✅ Examples: driving from a customer to a nearby safe parking spot after unloading, heading to a restaurant or hotel for rest, or bobtailing home after completing your work.
🚫 What it’s NOT: moving closer to your next load, avoiding HOS violations, or using PC as a loophole to “extend” your drive clock.

Why it matters:

Using PC the right way keeps you compliant and safe from DOT audits.

Misusing PC can result in fines, log edits, and hard conversations with safety.

At Landstar, we pride ourselves on freedom with responsibility — and part of that freedom is managing your logs the right way.

08/22/2025

🚛 Thinking about becoming a Landstar owner-operator?
In Part 1 of my new series, I break down what it really takes to succeed.

✅ Freedom to choose your loads
✅ Percentage pay that grows with the market
✅ Support every step of the way

👉 Follow for more real talk on trucking & the Landstar lifestyle.

07/30/2025

**"After nearly three years, Landstar is reporting year-over-year trucking revenue growth — the first increase in 11 quarters.

Carrier attrition has leveled off, new carrier additions are at a seven-quarter high, and momentum is building.

It’s been a challenging cycle, but the tide is turning. Here’s to sustained growth and upward movement for the long haul.

Landstar reports trucking revenue growth for first time in nearly 3 years

Freight broker Landstar System reported a year-over-year increase in trucking revenue during the second quarter, marking the first such increase in 11 quarters. The company also noted a flattening of attrition among its core carriers and the highest gross additions in that group in seven quarters.

Read more in the comments.