3/4 time

I'm considering starting a 2nd career in trucking. This forum has been a big help in learning about many aspects (good and bad) about the industry. I was able to retire early from my first career, but would like to put a few more years of work in to earn some extra dollars and build a better retirement.

However, I have enjoyed a few years of being able to do volunteer work and pursue some additional activities. What would be ideal for me would be a situation where I can work about 3/4 of the year, rather than full time, to have some personal time to balance with work time. This would proportionately produce less income, but I'm prepared for that.

Realizing that most companies need to keep their trucks rolling, what is the feasibility of finding a starting position with less than full time? Schneider's Home Run program would probably be a reasonable fit, but I'm more interested in driving flatbed. Do any other companies offer a similar program? If not, would I need to put in a couple of years to gain experience then go owner/operator in order to have the schedule flexibility I would like?

I'd appreciate any input from you folks with the experience. Thanks!

 

Thanks for replying, tbogle05. I'm looking to go to work OTR but working less than full time, ideally maybe working 3 out of every 4 weeks (3/4 time) on the average. Schneider has a "Home Run" program where 3 drivers slip seat 2 trucks and end up working 2 weeks then off 1, so you have about 17 weeks off per year. Naturally, fewer days on the road = fewer miles = less pay, and I'm willing to settle for less for the freedom of some time off to spend at home with my wife, visiting kids/grandkids, and doing volunteer work at church. I'm more interested in driving flatbed than van (which is all Schneider offers) so I was wondering if any drivers know of any flatbed carriers that might offer this kind of schedule flexibility. I've even thought that I would be willing to be the first guy parked when freight gets slow giving the full time work to those that need it, meaning maybe more unpaid time off in the winter and less in the summer. Our kids are grown and gone, so our expenses are less than they used to be and I don't need to maximize my income like those who are still raising families, but I do need to generate some income and I'm real interested in doing that through trucking. I'm too young to start drawing retirement.

So, my questions are:

1) Are there carriers (especially flatbed) that would be able to run me less than full time?
2) If so, who and where are they?
3) Would a newbie be eligible?
4) After a few years experience, would working as an owner/operator provide the flexibility to schedule weeks on and off?

I'd appreciate anyone weighing in on this with your experience or opinions, especially if you have or are doing something like this. The beauty of this site is the ability to draw on the knowledge of so many experienced folks. Thanks for all you do out there and willingness to share information.

 

Thanks for all the info. It's great to hear from experienced folks. I'm willing to put in whatever is necessary to get trained and pay my dues. It's good to know that the possibility is out there to find what might be my ideal match. Gives me something to work towards. Once I gain some experience I'll know more, and be able to offer more to potential compatible carriers. I appreciate the tip on Roehl, I hadn't considered them. It looks like I may be just outside their hiring area but it's worth talking with them. After completing some current obligations, I'm hoping to start school this summer and sign on with someone by September.