Scholarship Helps Indiana Sage Student Chase the Freedom of the Open Road

Franklin Ellett spent years watching other people take risks.

Before deciding to pursue a career in trucking, he worked in casino surveillance where he monitored games, spotted irregularities, and caught potential cheaters. It was a job that demanded constant attention and precision, but the excitement wore off over time.

“It’s fun at first,” Franklin said. “But it gets really old really quick.”

What’s never gotten old for Franklin is the idea of movement, independence, and finding a career that didn’t require him to stay in one place for too long.

Now, as he prepares to begin classes and training at Sage Truck Driving School in Muncie, Indiana, Franklin already has a leg up on his new career having earned a $1,000 Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship. With classes set to begin soon, this scholarship helps him lay the groundwork for a career he sees as both practical and deeply tied to the backbone of the country.

Seeking the American Dream

Franklin’s interest in trucking is rooted in family history. His dad was a truck driver in the early 1990s, hauling hazardous materials while raising five kids.

“He drove really dangerous stuff,” Franklin said. “That’s what I want to work toward.”

His long-term goal is to earn his hazardous materials endorsement after gaining some experience on the road. He’s particularly interested in hauling petroleum products in the Southwest, an area he believes will continue to rely heavily on fuel transport for many years to come.

“Our country runs on it,” Franklin said. “I know there’s a push away from petroleum, but I actually think some alternatives are more dangerous. Petroleum is in demand, and that would put me in demand, too.”

Beyond the practical side, trucking appeals to Franklin on a more personal level.

“I’m a rolling stone,” he said. “I don’t stay still very long. Even in my free time, I’ll just pick a direction on the highway and go.”

To him, over-the-road (OTR) trucking represents a modern version of the American dream.

“It feels like a freedom industry,” he said. “You still have deadlines, but you’re on the road, doing your own thing, seeing the small stops and the big ones.”

Getting a Boost After Choosing Sage

When it came time to choose a school, Franklin was deliberate. Living in Muncie, Sage was just 12 minutes from home, but convenience wasn’t the deciding factor.

Katie Wolfe from admissions played a major role in his choice.

“She sold it amazingly,” Franklin said. “The one-on-one time in the truck really stood out to me — the fact they don’t pack a whole group into one truck.”

He was also impressed by the school’s size and structure. During his initial visit, Franklin met range staff and instructors, which helped solidify his decision.

“You see a lot of programs that promise a CDL in three weeks,” he said. “I don’t think that’s enough time. The way SAGE structures things feels geared toward actually being confident on the road.”

Franklin said he learned about the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship while completing his application for SAGE. He applied and soon received a call that gave him a financial and emotional boost.

“Katie called me super excited,” he said. “She told me they finally had a student awarded, and it was me.”

At the time, Franklin was doing delivery gig work to prepare to fill the gap until he started school. Money was tight, so the scholarship came at exactly the right moment.

“It was a pretty cool phone call,” he said. “We were both ecstatic. I’m in this transition where I decided to make a career change without the new career lined up yet, so this is really going to help.”

“We are proud to recognize Franklin 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.”

Franklin is set to start classes at Sage’s Muncie campus in mid-January and says he’s ready to get moving — literally and figuratively. Until then, he plans to keep working gigs in his free time while focusing on training.