Landstar System operates a pure, resilient 'asset-light' logistics model that differentiates it from traditional asset-based trucking carriers like Knight-Swift or Werner. The company does not employ truck drivers, nor does it buy, maintain, or fuel expensive, depreciating diesel trucks. Instead, Landstar operates a formidable, scalable digital network and financial clearinghouse. The model relies entirely on two groups of independent contractors. First, approximately 960 independent commission sales agents find shippers and freight that needs to be moved, acting essentially as localized franchise brokers. Second, more than 70,000 third-party capacity providers and exclusive independent truck drivers—known as Business Capacity Owners (BCOs)—freely log into the Landstar network and choose exactly which loads they want to haul. Landstar itself provides the critical corporate operating authority, the liability insurance required for specialized and heavy-haul freight, the centralized IT load-matching network, and the corporate brand. In exchange, Landstar takes a predictable percentage of the gross revenue of every load moved, while avoiding the capital expenditure (CapEx) and depreciation costs of owning a physical fleet. This essentially creates a 100% variable-cost structure. When freight markets enter a severe recession, Landstar's costs instantly scale down alongside revenue, allowing the company to maintain extreme profitability and generate free cash flow even during the worst trucking downcycles.