Motive started with a simple idea: make daily life easier for truck drivers. Over the past 7 years we have taken that idea and built a thriving company around it, serving more than 1 million drivers, and employing 1,500 people all over the world.
None of that would be possible without the communities we draw talent and inspiration from. Recently, we have been thinking about what we can do to reciprocate — how can Motive contribute to the communities we serve beyond the products we build?
It is from this question that the idea was born for On the Road Again. In partnership with Covenant House California, a San Francisco based non-profit youth homeless shelter, we will provide financial support for homeless youth to attend truck driver training school. Our goal is to create new opportunities for the program participants — to help them establish a career in trucking, drive change in their lives, and get them on the road again.
Meet Mustafa
Mustafa Majeed is our first On the Road Again Program participant. He started at Western Pacific Truck School on September 24, 2020, and his graduation ceremony is today.
Mustafa was originally born in Afghanistan and moved to the U.S. in 2003 when he was 7 years old. In 2008, he moved to the Bay Area from Syracuse. He graduated from high school in the Bay Area and met his fiancé there. His original calling was as a salesperson, and he worked at a dealership starting as a detailer and working his way up to a sales consultant. Mustafa was routinely recognized for going above and beyond to provide excellent customer service but was unfortunately laid off due to COVID-19.
Ashlee Rountree is a caseworker at Covenant House California who has been working with Mustafa for over a year. Ashlee told Motive: “He was the most kind and professional young person I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He showed up in a polo shirt, was always punctual, was never late for appointments, and followed through on his commitments. He has incredible follow through. Mustafa has an old soul and that is one thing that is very special about him.”
Who is Covenant House California?
Covenant House California is a California based non-profit offering housing and support services to homeless, runaway, and at-risk young adults since 1988. Covenant House California serves over 4,700 youth a year and provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and vocational well-being of young people, in order to provide them with the best chance for success in independence.
What keeps Bill Bedrossian, the Chief Executive Officer of Covenant House California up at night is knowing there are thousands of youths who don’t have a place to sleep in California. What gets him up in the morning is knowing that these same youth are capable of so much.
One of the programs Covenant House California offers is a Rapid Rehousing program. Through this program, case managers work with homeless youth and local landlords to find appropriate apartments. Covenant House California then assists the youth with move-in costs, rental assistance, and weekly case management to ensure success. Participants are eligible for financial assistance but, eventually, age out of the program.
Mustafa and On the Road Again
Mustafa will age out of Covenant House California’s Rapid Rehousing program in December. He was drawn to the On the Road Again Program because of the career promise that truck driving provides, including the ability to have consistent work, a retirement plan, and other benefits. He wants to provide for his family—including his 4-year-old daughter. In 5 years, he hopes to be a homeowner, open a family business, and still be driving trucks for pleasure and income.
Mustafa will receive support from the team at Covenant House California on creating a career development plan and looking for positions after graduation. Motive will also support Mustafa in his post-graduation journey to getting on the road again.
On the Road Again is a great opportunity for him to move into the next phase of his life with a new skill set and a career.
“The program is going great! I am enjoying it and taking every chance I get to improve at being behind the wheel.” – Mustafa Majeed
I want to learn more
We’re excited to give back to the trucking industry and work with partners like Covenant House California to help members of our community get on the road again.
