Lone Star Transportation, LLC Launches FLEXTIME Driving Program for OTR Drivers
Drive Three Months or More, Take up to Six Months Off
FORT WORTH, TEXAS December 14, 2021
Many trucking companies battle the current over-the-road (OTR) driver shortage by hiring young truck driving school graduates. A Fort Worth, Texas carrier instead takes a novel approach to attract the most experienced OTR professionals.
Lone Star Transportation, LLC, a Daseke Company, launched the new FLEXTIME Driving Program for OTR drivers who are 50 years and older and want a more flexible schedule – one suited to the lifestyle of a driver ready to cycle between periods of work and leisure. The program allows company drivers to work three or more consecutive months and then take up to six months off. A driver in the FLEXTIME Driving Program can customize their schedule, choosing which months to drive each year and when to take long breaks.
The first goal of the FLEXTIME Driving Program is to bring older, more experienced professional drivers out of retirement and back into the field of truck driving. The second goal is to help extend the careers of drivers who leave for personal or lifestyle reasons.
“This program is perfect for me. I want to stay active by driving, but not as often as I used to. I can supplement my retirement income and also spend more time with my grandkids. Above all, at this point in my life, I want to do the things I want to do – when I want to do them.”
– Gary Stephens
According to Doug Miller, President of Lone Star Transportation, LLC, “driver choice” is the centerpiece of the new program, designed specifically for experienced drivers looking for that perfect mix of work and free time.
“An OTR driver in our FLEXTIME Driving Program determines how long they want to stay out, what months they want to drive and when they want to take off,” said Miller. “There is no comparable program in the industry that offers drivers this much flexibility.”
Gary Stephens, a 75-year-old retired truck driver, is the first to sign up for Lone Star’s FLEXTIME Driving Program.
“This program is perfect for me. I want to stay active by driving, but not as often as I used to. I can supplement my retirement income and also spend more time with my grandkids. Above all, at this point in my life, I want to do the things I want to do – when I want to do them,” Stephens said.
Jeff Cooney, Vice President Safety & Recruiting for Lone Star, says the company loses some of their best, safest drivers as they age because they want to spend more time at home and enjoy leisure activities.
“The FLEXTIME Driving Program is a win-win for the driver and the company,” said Cooney, “as it lets drivers customize their work schedules and helps Lone Star fill more trucks.”
According to Ellen Voie, President & CEO of Women in Trucking, the FLEXTIME Driving Program is a huge move forward for the trucking industry.
“This is a major development for our industry, particularly because it allows OTR drivers to work seasonally,” said Voie. “I am confident this program, or those like it, will prompt drivers to consider extending their careers – and even convince many who left the industry to return.”
Lone Star plans to closely monitor the program’s success over its first several months.
“We want to evaluate whether the FLEXTIME Driving Program would work for drivers under the age of 50,” noted Miller. “We’re learning that one size does not fit all – especially when it comes to addressing the needs of professional drivers.”
For more information, contact David Ferebee, 817-306-1000, or visit Lone Star’s website, https://www.LoneStar-LLC.com.
About Lone Star Transportation
Lone Star Transportation, LLC, part of the Daseke family of companies, is recognized as a premier specialized heavy haul carrier that transports flatbed, oversized and extreme over-dimensional loads in 49 states, Canada and Mexico. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, the company has 16 full-service terminals strategically located throughout the country. In 2014, Lone Star merged with Daseke, Inc. to help form the largest open deck specialized trucking company in North America.
