Indiana Student Earns Scholarship While Pursuing His Dream of Becoming a Truck Driver

A month into CDL training, Roy Cupp was struggling with a single technique. Sitting in the driver’s seat of a manual transmission truck, he was trying to master double-clutch shifting, and it just wasn’t clicking.

“I was struggling really bad,” Roy said.

Instructor Pete watched him try to work through the challenge on his own before suggesting a different approach.

“He realized [double-clutching] wasn’t for me and that I should be floating the gears instead,” Roy said. “And right away, I got it.”

For Roy, that moment captured exactly why he chose Sage Truck Driving School in Muncie.

After spending four years working as a nursing assistant, he was ready to pursue a career he’d dreamed of since childhood. And now, with the help of a $1,000 Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship and a school that’s committed to helping students succeed in different ways, he’s building the trucking career he’d always imagined.

“We are proud to recognize Roy Cupp 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.”

Leaving One Career Behind

Before enrolling at Sage, Roy worked at a hospital, helping care for patients as a nursing assistant. The work felt meaningful for a while, but over time, he became increasingly discouraged.

“I think within my fourth year, just seeing a lot of patients not getting the care they needed, it was heartbreaking,” Roy said. “It wasn’t for me anymore, so I wanted a different career.”

So, he decided to finally look into pursuing a path he’s wanted to be on since he was a little boy.

“I’ve always wanted to become a truck driver,” he said. “Since I was a kid, I’ve imagined myself driving a truck. It was always my dream.”

Growing up, Roy loved the sound and feeling of being around big trucks. The opportunity to ride with family members who drove larger military vehicles only strengthened that fascination.

“The sound, being inside a big truck … I don’t know how to explain it,” he said. “I just really enjoy being inside a big truck, and I’ve always liked it since I was a kid.”

For years, though, the dream felt out of reach. It required specialized training he felt he couldn’t afford. He reached a point, though, where he knew he could no longer ignore it.

“It became, ‘Go big or go home,'” he said.

Roy explored several options before choosing Sage. One school closer to home had good reviews, but something felt different when he visited Sage’s Muncie campus, about an hour from his home.

“The people are friendly,” he said. “They want to help you as much as possible. They want to help you find jobs after. I didn’t get the same vibe from the other place.”

That welcoming environment continued throughout his first month in the program.

“It’s going really well,” Roy said. “The options they give you to help you succeed before the final test — manual, automatic, different instructors who do things differently to help you out — I really like that.”

He especially appreciates that instructors adapt to individual students instead of forcing everyone through the same process.

A Scholarship and a Change of Luck

While researching trucking schools and tuition costs online, Roy came across information about the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship.

He had already heard positive things about Sage from two people he knew who had attended the school and passed “with flying colors.” The scholarship, though, made the opportunity even more attainable.

When Roy learned he’d been selected as a recipient, he said the news caught him off guard.

“I was surprised and excited at the same time,” he said. “It was definitely exciting for sure.”

“Coming from a poor family and not having the greatest luck, then hearing that I’d won something, it was just awesome,” he added. “It was a good change of pace from always having to struggle.”

After graduating from Sage, Roy plans to gain some experience on the road before pursuing the type of work that interests him most.

“I would like to pull cattle or do flatbedding,” he said. “The plan is to get in there, get a job, and then get some experience. Then maybe get my own truck and make a little extra money.”

For anyone considering a similar path, his advice is simple: Enroll at Sage Truck Driving School.

“Going from not knowing how to drive a truck, they made it 10 times easier and were really laid back as I learned and even struggled some,” Roy said. “And, the instructors are awesome to work with. They know how to bring out your best.”