Florida Sage Student Finds a New Path Forward in Trucking

Robert Custer remembers spending long stretches behind the wheel, driving between cities such as Phoenix, Los Angeles and Denver, and to destinations as far away as Oregon.

In previous jobs, he regularly traveled across the country to attend conferences and industry events, often spending nights in hotels before heading to his next destination.

And he loved it.

“A lot of people didn’t enjoy that,” Robert said. “They don’t like seeing the streetlights, the highway. I like it. It’s always been intriguing to me.”

Now, after serving eight years in federal prison and struggling to find employment following his release, Robert is working toward a career that could put him back on those highways for a living.

He took an important step in that direction by enrolling at Sage Truck Driving School in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he’s preparing to earn his commercial driver’s license (CDL) with the help of a $1,000 Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship.

For Robert, the opportunity represents a chance to return to work, launch a new career and continue rebuilding his life, with the ultimate goal of helping others facing similar challenges.

Looking for a Way Back into the Workforce

Before his incarceration, Robert worked in several industries, including warehousing and food service. But after serving eight years in federal prison, finding another job proved difficult.

He completed a job training program through United Against Poverty, a nonprofit organization that helps people facing financial hardship. Still, employment opportunities remained limited.

Then he learned that the trucking industry sometimes offers opportunities for people looking for a second chance.

“I looked online at a couple different places for training, and Sage said they had job placement,” he said. “It just seemed really promising.”

The profession also appealed to something he’d always enjoyed: traveling.

“I used to drive a lot, from Arizona to California,” Robert said. “I’ve driven from Florida to California a bunch of times. I kind of like the lifestyle, going different places, staying in hotels, kind of being a loner somewhat.”

He laughed at that last description, clarifying that he wasn’t suggesting all truck drivers were loners.

“I just enjoyed being on the road and on the move,” he said. “And I love being able to move around and see things.”

Finding People Who Want to Help

When Robert visited Sage, he met with Lizette Rosa, School Director at the Fort Pierce campus, who took an immediate interest in his situation.

“She’s very down to earth,” Robert said. “It’s not just textbook interviewing like most places. She kind of takes an interest in your story.”

That personal attention continued after he enrolled. Robert says he’s been particularly impressed by the instructors, many of whom bring decades of trucking and other professional experience to the classroom.

He singled out instructor Mark Howard, whose teaching approach initially took some getting used to.

“He gives you the instructions, and he makes you understand how the truck works because he lets you go through your failures,” Robert said. “He doesn’t overshadow you and argue with you. He just lets you figure it out.”

But when a student gets stuck, Mark steps in.

“The way he does it, he’s not judgmental,” Robert said. “He’s not accusatory. But he makes you learn it so that you understand what you’re doing.”

Robert remembers struggling with backing maneuvers before the instruction began to click.

“I went from parking sideways to doing three and four, which is basically pulling out of a lane with a 100-foot truck and parallel parking it and then backing it in,” he said. “I understand that concept thoroughly now because of the way he taught it.”

A Scholarship He Almost Didn’t Apply For

Lizette also introduced Robert to the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship.

At first, he wasn’t sure he should apply. But she encouraged him, helped him navigate the application process and followed up to make sure he completed it.

“Without her pushing it, I would have never known it existed,” Robert said.

Her advice was simple: He had nothing to lose by trying.

“She said, ‘The only thing they can say is no. You really have nothing to lose,'” he said. “‘You might as well put the effort forward.'”

Robert was paying for his CDL training out of pocket. Receiving the $1,000 scholarship helped ease that financial burden.

“We are proud to recognize Robert as a recipient of the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship,” said Rob Howes II, President of Howes Products. “His excitement and commitment to pursuing a career in trucking embodies the very spirit of this program and we look forward to seeing him succeed as part of the next generation of trucking professionals.”

The award also gave Robert a success story he could share with other students. After receiving the scholarship, he visited a class to encourage others to apply.

“It was very fulfilling to be the one who did that and give the next class the opportunity to see firsthand that if you put that positive foot forward, this is the payoff,” he said.

Hoping to Give Back One Day

As Robert approaches graduation, he’s developing the driving skills and mastering the inspections he’ll need to pass his CDL test. Once he completes his training, he hopes to find a job, gain experience and establish himself in the trucking industry.

Eventually, he’d like to become an instructor himself.

“When I’m an expert at this, then I can come back and get a nice job teaching this,” Robert said. “Then I can use the paths that I took to get where I’m at.”

He hopes his experiences, including the mistakes he’s made and the opportunities he’s received, will help him connect with future students who are trying to change their own circumstances.

For Robert, that’s an important part of what makes trucking appealing. He knows the work will be demanding, but he also sees a profession where people from different backgrounds can build successful careers.

“It’s something that somebody who took a lick in life can look at and say, ‘Okay, well, I’m going to change the direction of my life,'” he said.