For the past two years, The Shay Legacy Foundation has made the Road to Transition program a core focus of its mission — helping formerly incarcerated individuals across New York State rebuild their lives through meaningful careers in the trucking industry.
At the center of this work is Rusty Stetzel, who has been traveling across the state, building relationships with correctional facilities, meeting with incarcerated individuals before release, and walking with them through the transition from incarceration to employment. His work spans from Buffalo to Manhattan, reaching facilities across the state and connecting people with real job opportunities as truck drivers, diesel technicians, warehouse workers, forklift operators, and more.
In just the last year and a half alone, Rusty has helped 72 returning citizens find employment.
Twelve are currently driving trucks, four are actively enrolled in CDL training programs, and many others are working in logistics, warehousing, and skilled trades roles across New York.
“They’re not looking for handouts — they’re looking for a chance,” Rusty shared. “They’ve made the decision to change their lives. They don’t want to go back to where they were, and they’re doing the work to build something better for their future.”
Road to Transition isn’t just workforce development — it’s community transformation. The program helps fill critical labor shortages in trucking and logistics while also addressing a much larger issue facing our state: recidivism. By connecting individuals with stable, rewarding careers, the program creates long-term impact not only for employers, but for families, communities, and public safety across New York.
“The shortage is real — but so is the opportunity,” Rusty explained. “If we’re telling people there’s a future for them in this industry, then we have a responsibility to help open the door.”
What makes this initiative different is its human approach. It’s not transactional. It’s relational. It starts inside correctional facilities, continues through reentry, and extends into long-term career development.
“I don’t want the credit,” Rusty said. “They’re the ones putting in the work. I’m just a small part of helping them get from where they are to where they’re trying to go.”
At its core, Road to Transition strengthens two systems at once:
- It supports the trucking industry by connecting motivated, dependable workers to urgently needed roles
- It supports New York State by helping individuals break cycles of incarceration and build stable, productive lives
This is what workforce development looks like when it’s done with purpose — not just filling jobs, but building futures.
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