These RVers Took Their Job On The Road

Scott Hamilton has the perfect work-from-home setup: an expansive desk area with room for a full-size monitor, keyboard and printer, filing space, a comfortable chair, and reliable connectivity, including Starlink satellite-internet service and a separate Insty Connect router and cell-based modem as backup.

Mr. Hamilton, 66, a business consultant, can also prepare meals, shower and sleep six in his office, which is located in a 30-foot Airstream Flying Cloud that he pulls with a Ford F-250 pickup truck. He paid $118,000 for the Airstream.

Despite the fact that many companies are now mandating the return of remote employees to the office, remote working remains popular. A June 2022 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 48% of workers surveyed will “definitely” seek a remote position for their next job, and a March 2022 survey by Robert Half found that return-to-office plans may lead to resignations, with half of survey respondents currently working from home saying they would look for a new job if their company required them to return to the office full time.

According to the RV Industry Association, a trade group, about 400,000 RV owners live full time in their rigs. A May 2022 survey conducted by the RV Industry Association found that 54% of RVers had worked remotely while traveling during the eight months prior to the survey.

Doug Miller, product manager for REV Recreation Group’s Class A luxury motor homes, said that an increasing number of RV buyers are looking for vehicles that can accommodate working from home. “We’re seeing more people at events, such as rallies and national trade shows, interested in all different sizes,” he said. “They’re walking through the models inquiring where their laptop can go or where they could put a printer.”

The company will soon launch a new Fleetwood model with a dedicated corner office in the rear of the coach and a suggested retail price of approximately $400,000. It has room for multiple monitors and storage, as well as lots of power sources. “Imagine a day trader who wants to watch the ticker and trade all day,” Mr. Miller said. “He or she can do their job and then walk outside and put a hot dog on a stick and cook it over the campfire. It’s pretty cool.”

Read the full article from The Wall Street Journal here.