Need some advice on my career

HI all,

It's been a long time since I posted on here. I am hoping I can get some good input on which way to go. I have a year and half of truck driving experience, no tickets or DOT reportables, had a couple minor backing hiccups that were not serious and were a lesson learned early on. I have no criminal history, no dui's etc. I have Dbl/trpls, Tankers/Hazmat endorsements, TWIC, passport card... the whole 9 yds. I love driving, but my career has not been as successful as I had hoped up to this point.

I have had a few different carriers that just didn't work out for various reasons. I am not looking to be lectured about that, only looking for advice of the best way to go forward. Most recently, I had a job that I thought was going to be perfect as a field tester for a heavy truck manufacturer. It paid great, home every night, interesting work. Unfortunately, the hours kept getting lower and lower, then I was laid off a week ago after only a few months. Now I am in a situation where I would like to keep driving but I am not looking to get treated like dirt when I am a conscientious professional driver and I have worked hard.

The bottom line is, in a perfect world, I would go purchase a decent truck and lease it onto Landstar like a couple of my friends are doing. The problem is, I do not have the capital to do so. I have always been told to steer clear from Lease programs as they usually are not to the driver's benefit and rarely end positively on our end. I hear the horror stories of the lease driver that gets near the end of the lease then stops get loads sufficient enough to complete it and ends up losing the whole thing. In other words having a company you are leasing from controlling the miles and unable to leave and lease it on somewhere else. Are there any lease programs that are truly worth looking into?

If truck ownership or lease is not possible, I am open to going back out as a company driver, I just want to be comfortable and make enough money to be worth doing the job this time. Are there any companies out there with:

good hometime (ex. 2 days per week out) home 2-3x per month
APU's on their trucks
Run Western regional
Good miles (2500mi/wk avg or more)
Decent pay (.36cpm or better)
No-touch freight
Will hire me with less than two years exp but more than one

I know I am asking a lot, I am just not willing to go back on the road to have the non existent miles/pay and uncomfortable living arrangements that I had the last time. If I can't find something that is decent then, I am prepared to look into a different career just want to make sure if I stay driving a pick a company that will be the right company and I can stay with for years to come. I don't expect to be rich, I don't expect to have it perfect, I just want it decent.

Sorry for the long post and thank you all for your input and help, I really appreciate it!

 

Thanks for all the replies. Still looking.