Swift Transportation Scholarship

Scholarship amount: Swift Transportation offers a variety of scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs. You can get CDL training for women at no up-front cost, including books, hotel, education, and transportation costs. Instead of paying expensive tuition up front, drivers sign Swift Transportation’s financial agreement and agree to drive for Swift Transportation for 26 months after getting their license. This way drivers can pay off their CDL tuition over time through payroll deduction, rather than owe a large lump sum for tuition. You’ll also get paid while training with a mentor. If you already attended CDL school somewhere else, Swift Transportation also has a tuition reimbursement program. As for military veterans, their spouses, and dependents, they can also receive a full scholarship to Swift Transportation’s training academy.
Application process: To apply, you can look for a Swift Transportation location near you, fill out a full application online, or contact a recruiter to get details on what financial aid you’re eligible for by clicking the phone icon at the top right of the Swift website.
Criteria and requirements: This depends on the type of financial aid you’re applying for. For the military scholarship, you or your spouse must be a military veteran, or you must be a dependent of a military veteran. For other scholarships, contact a recruiter to learn about your eligibility.

Women in Trucking Foundation Scholarship

Scholarship amount: The Women in Trucking Foundation offers $1,000 scholarships during spring and fall cycles each year, to be used for tuition or expenses related to education. Winners also receive a free 1-year membership to the Women in Trucking Association. The Women in Trucking Association also partners with other donors, to provide more scholarships, including the Roger Voie Memorial Scholarships and scholarships selected by the Rhode Island Trucking Association and Ryder Charitable Foundation.
Application process: Applicants must fill out a scholarship application, which includes an essay section where applicants must detail their career goals and how their training will help them meet those goals.
Criteria and requirements: To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be a woman who’s attending a trucking industry training facility for the purpose of advancing their career. Applicants must also have financial need and must provide their student ID number and a contact for their school’s financial aid office.

Commercial Driver’s License Program Grant

Accion Opportunity Fund

Loan amount: The Accion Opportunity Fund provides fairly priced loans, educational resources, and coaching to entrepreneurs who are women, people of color, and low-to-moderate income individuals. Women truck drivers who are also business owners in the trucking industry can seek out a small business loan from $5,000 to $250,000 to help grow their truck driving business. In 2023, the Accion Opportunity Fund also announced a $1.5 million Down Payment Assistance Fund that enables women truck drivers to become first-time truck owners and entrepreneurs in Georgia and Maryland.
Application process: Interested applicants can visit Apply.aofund.org to start the small business loan application process and receive a quote within minutes, with no impact to a credit score. Those interested in the Accion Opportunity Fund can also call 1-888-720-3215 for more information.
Criteria and requirements: To qualify for a small business loan, an applicant must have at least 12 months in business; the applicant must own at least 20% of the business; the applicant must be at least 18 years old; and the business must generate at least $50,000 in annual sales. To qualify for the Down Payment Assistance Fund, contact the Accion Opportunity Fund for details.

Other scholarship and grant opportunities

In addition to national programs for female truck drivers, there are also state-specific and local programs for people who want to enter the trucking industry. For example, in Virginia in 2023, the state announced a federal grant of $200,000 for recruiting and covering tuition costs for new CDL drivers.

Women who want to become truck drivers can contact their state’s employment office to learn about additional local funding. Search “[state] employment office” to find the department to contact.

The impact of financial assistance on women in trucking

For women who want to grow their career in the trucking industry and become a truck owner or entrepreneur, there’s a lot of opportunity. According to the American Trucking Associations, 1 million new drivers will need to be recruited before 2030 to keep up with industry growth.

Grants and scholarships like those offered by Swift Transportation make it easier for women to build a rewarding career as a truck driver. According to a Forbes Advisor article on average student loan debt, the average traditional college student loan debt was nearly $29,000 in 2024. With truck driver scholarships, you can get your entire CDL training paid for and begin a rewarding career in less time than a traditional 4-year college. All without having to worry about paying off debt after you begin your career. You can start earning money in an in-demand field and advance your career as you gain experience.

As Swift Transportation driver Lori S. with 31 years of experience says, “I’ve had a lot of different jobs, but trucking is my favorite. When my daughters went to college, I went into the trucking industry to pay for their education. This is not only a great career for myself, but for so many other women. That’s why I’ve been doing it for over 31 years!”

Caroline D. is a Swift Transportation driver with 16 years’ experience. She proudly states, “Swift Transportation is an awesome company to stay with if you want a stable, long career to support your family.”

Women in Trucking: Grants for Female Truck Drivers

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