WASHINGTON — The Trucking Cares Foundation (TCF) is donating $25,000 to the South Dallas Driving Academy (SDDA), a nonprofit that provides free driver education courses to low-income teens and young adults.
“The contribution builds on the foundation’s longstanding support of the program,” TCF said. “The Trucking Cares Foundation initially donated $15,000 in seed funding that helped launch the program in 2021, followed by an additional $20,000 in 2023 and $25,000 in 2024 as part of its ongoing commitment to expanding access to career opportunities in trucking.”
South Dallas Driving Academy
The inspiration for South Dallas Driving Academy was Germany Williams, a young man who grew up in an impoverished neighborhood, earned his CDL, and changed the trajectory of his life. His story was recently featured in a documentary produced by Nothing Without Trucking.
“The South Dallas Driving Academy has been instrumental in removing barriers to rewarding careers in our industry,” said Greg Owen, chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation and head coach of Ability Tri-Modal. “By equipping individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with the skills and credentials they need to succeed, SDDA is helping to create opportunity, strengthen communities, and build the next generation of trucking professionals. The Trucking Cares Foundation is proud to continue supporting this life-changing program.”
Reaching the Underserved Members of the Community
“Our vision has always been to create an on-ramp to opportunity for underserved members of our community,” said Chris Petersen, president of Rally Fleet Services and chairman of SDDA. “Thanks to the support of the Trucking Cares Foundation, not only have we been able to serve hundreds of individuals in South Dallas, but we are currently working with community leaders to expand into new markets across Texas and beyond. We are deeply grateful to Greg Owens, the entire TCF Board, Chris Spear, and the American Trucking Associations for their continued support of this important initiative.”
Advancing the SDDA Mission
“The support of the Trucking Cares Foundation has been catalytic in advancing the mission and impact of the South Dallas Driving Academy,” said Von Minor, president and executive director, SDDA. “Over the past year, we have seen 20 men and women graduate from our commercial driver’s license program and launch into living-wage career opportunities as professional drivers. The Trucking Cares Foundation’s support is helping to dismantle generational poverty one driver at a time, allowing our programs to truly drive lives forward.”
According to TCF, nearly 40% of low-income individuals in urban areas in the United States—and nearly half in South Dallas—lack a valid driver’s license, often due to limited access to affordable driver education. The South Dallas Driving Academy addresses this challenge by offering a dual-track training program that enables participants to obtain their driver’s license and prepare for careers in transportation. The only program of its kind, SDDA is offered at no cost to Bonton and South Dallas residents with a student course completion and program graduation rate of 90%.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
