Your Stories

Clients

Here are the stories that inspire us.

Click on the photos below to read our client testimonials!

Derrica

Derrica is a certified nursing assistant who loves her job but had an unreliable car that made it hard to consistently get to work. She often had to depend on friends for rides. We helped Derrica get a 2020 Nissan Sentra, and now she’s the one giving friends rides!

A single parent, she says having a reliable car is essential to taking care of her family and has enable her to set new goals like going back to school and moving up in her career.

“I am very thankful for On the Road Lending. If I know someone who needs a ride to work, I won’t mind helping because I was once that person. I’m going to take good care of my car.”

Tami

When Tami came to On the Road Lending, she didn’t own a vehicle and depended solely upon public transportation. She lived in Fort Worth and had a two-hour commute each way to her job in Arlington that involved several busses, a rideshare, and walking two miles each way.

“I absolutely loved my job, but the anxiety of the commute was overwhelming,” Tami says.

Because of credit issues due to a tumultuous divorce and her current living situation—she had just started a new contract job and was living in temporary housing—she knew a traditional car loan would not work for her. Researching alternatives, Tami contacted Fort Worth’s Economic Development Department, which put her in touch with us.

“On the Road Lending took control and handled everything. The staff is professional, courteous and made me feel at ease with the process. I now drive a beautiful 2018 oceanic blue Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SUV,” Tami says.

Like so many of our clients, Tami uses her car to give back to the community.

“Not only has having a car changed my life, but also it has changed the lives of numerous other women,” she says. “I’m involved in a sober living home that helps at-risk women and am now able to help with rides to jobs and medical and dental appointments.”

Tami says On the Road Lending has played an integral part in her once again becoming an independent and successful woman. Her next goal is home ownership!

Lisa

Lisa drove to Dallas from Georgia in a car that was on its last mile. She had two part-time jobs, as a security officer and a nurse’s aide, but was struggling financially to make ends meet—especially after she had to start taking Uber and the bus to work. There were many opportunities for her to work as a hospice aide, but she couldn’t take them because the bus lines couldn’t get her to the client in a timely manner.

Then, while attending a financial education class at Catholic Charities, Lisa learned about On the Road Lending. We analyzed her income and budget and made her a loan on a 2014 Toyota Camry. Lisa’s dream was to become a licensed nurse. With a car, she has been able to finish her education, get a full-time job as a hospice nurse, take extra jobs because she could easily drive to them, and save money to buy a house. She has never been late on a payment. Lisa was also able to support her daughter as she pursued her degree in social work. Once her daughter received her degree, she became a client of On the Road Lending and now has a car of her own, too!

“I couldn’t have reached my dream of becoming a nurse and getting a house of my own without On the Road Lending,” Lisa says. “My car lets me help people. I believe when something good happens, you share it. In two words, my experience with On the Road Lending is—gratitude and generosity. This program really works!”

Glenn

Glenn lives in Corpus Christi and needs a reliable vehicle since his work and home are more than 15 miles apart. He works an early morning shift at H-E-B, and the older truck he drove constantly put him at risk for being stranded on the freeway at 2 a.m. Since getting his 2017 Chevy Cruze through On the Road Lending, his worries about getting to work have disappeared.

“Now I have the confidence that my coworkers can trust me to be there no matter the schedule,” Glenn says.

Glenn found us through H-E-B Federal Credit Union, one of our marketplace partners. When the credit union couldn’t make him a loan because of his credit history, we were able to step in and provide a loan based on getting to know Glenn and his ability to pay.

With reliable transportation, Glenn has been able to participate in H-E-B management training and is taking on more responsibility at work.

“I have great plans for the next calendar year. With a car I can trust, my world of improvements continues,” he says. “I will likely be elevated to a manager’s position within the next six months, and it all started with not having to worry about a truck that had seen its best days. Confidence built confidence, and my leaders saw it. Thanks for everything On the Road Lending. You are my hero!”

Patrice

At the beginning of her recovery from alcoholism, Patrice was taking the bus. But some days it could take her more than two hours to reach her destination. After she got a job, she began using Uber and Lyft. Eventually that became so expensive that she started renting cars to get to work. Because of her poor credit history, if she was approved for a car, she only qualified for high-interest loans that made car payments more than $600 a month. “The simple fact that I was able to secure a loan with On the Road Lending with a minimal down payment and a car note I can handle based on my salary is a blessing I absolutely cannot describe,” she says. These days Patrice drives her 2018 Nissan Rogue to work. Her monthly car note is less than her weekly rental car expense. She loves her job as a case manager for young adults who are high school dropouts or parenting teens. She helps them obtain their GEDs and training certifications so they can increase their incomes and independence. “Reliable transportation is essential to my job,” she says. “I look forward to making my car payments because I am building my credit. It just feels good to do the next right thing these days!” If you or someone you know needs a second chance, tell them On the Road Lending is making loans and delivering cars.

Raul

Raul is the oldest of four siblings and is eager to set a positive example for them. He’s also determined to escape the financial insecurity he’s lived with all of his life. Though his father has two degrees, he has been challenged by crippling student debt. Raul is a graduate of Southern Methodist University working as a paralegal, but, he says, he lacked financial literacy and didn’t understand the positive impact good credit can have on economic mobility.

When we met Raul, he was taking the bus or ride-sharing to work. He completed a budget, saved for a down payment, and began working on improving his credit with one credit card. He purchases one budgeted item with the card each month and pays it off completely. With those accomplishments achieved, we were able to get Raul into a 2017 Toyota Corolla LE.

“Financing a vehicle, improving my credit, and building better money habits will set me up for my life to come,” Raul says. “As the oldest I am looking toward attending law school, a first in my family. This opportunity with On the Road Lending is going to benefit the next phase of my life.”

Janna

After surviving a long line of challenges—cancer reconstruction surgery, mothering a child with cancer, divorce, and a move—Janna lost her home and her car to the F3 tornado that hit Dallas on October 20, 2019. On the Road Lending responded as soon as she contacted us and got her into a 2019 Acura so that she could keep working. Our Disaster Mobility Program is designed to get workers into vehicles quickly with deferral of some program requirements and accelerated underwriting and loan approval. We’re proud to help clients like Janna get back on the road to success.

Tammie

Tammie was struggling with divorce when she made a mistake at work that changed her life. She had left some confidential paperwork on a desk, and her supervisor called her in to talk about it. The supervisor told her that the company was worried that depression was affecting her work. “There was a possibility I could lose my job with this kind of mistake,” Tammie said. “It was an honest mistake, but the last thing I needed was to lose my job. I drove home and fell to the floor. But the next morning, I looked in the mirror and said I would take control of my life. At work, my supervisor told me that I would be given another chance. I started doing things I was good at. I practiced self-compassion. The most important thing—I learned to face my fears.” Then Hurricane Harvey hit, and Tammie lost everything but her life and the clothes she was wearing. “I thought, how could this happen? I’d fought back, and here I was again. What’s next? But this time, I would not let obstacles and depression get in my way. This would not consume me,” she said. Tammie’s strength impressed us, and we were proud to help her get a 2015 Toyota Camry. She’s still working to rebuild and has been promoted to a supervisory position. “In life there are things we cannot control, but what about the things we can?” she said. “I will never be frozen by fear again.”

Torrie

“Before I got a car through On the Road Lending, I had cars that were breaking down all the time. After I got a reliable car, I landed a corporate job and went from making no money to making a living wage. I’ve continued to get better jobs because I can commute to them and can support my three kids. You have to drive in DFW, and having my Toyota Corolla made it easy for me to commute. I never had a bad experience with that car. The only expense I had was getting my oil changed! My stress level went down to zero. I didn’t have to worry if the air conditioning was going to work or if there was going to be some other expensive repair that would strand my children and me. Paying off my loan helped me rebuild my credit and get a brand new Toyota Avalon at a very low interest rate. My new financial goals are to keep increasing my earnings and ultimately get a job where I can help others.”

Jessica

“People who have had cars their entire life don’t understand how hard life can be without a car. Life totally changed for my son and me after I bought my car through On the Road Lending. Just basic things like being able to go to the grocery any time we wanted to. We didn’t need to take a bus or train or worry about carrying heavy stuff. We didn’t have to choose not to buy something because we didn’t want to carry it or were worried about the weather. I was able to take a better job that pays more money. Before I was a housekeeper and babysitter. Now I’m working full time doing purchasing and project management. I drive almost an hour to my job. It would have been impossible to take the bus here. My main financial goals now are to buy a house and save for my son’s college. I have never been a homeowner, but I know I can make that happen. I will do it just like I made my car payments. Buying a car through On the Road Lending gave me confidence.”

Latavia

Latavia was caught in the web of an 11-year abusive relationship and criminal activity. After her arrest but before her imminent incarceration, she worked hard to get her aesthetician’s license so she would have employment opportunities after her release. When we met her, she was vibrant and focused, working in the field, and dreaming of building her own business. While she didn’t have a credit score that would get her a reasonable traditional car loan, we had excellent references from both her case manager and current employer that convinced us she was a strong prospect. We were right! She’s a great example of how our relationship-based lending operates. Latavia worked hard with our coaches and saved $1,500, which went toward the down payment, tax, title and license on her 2017 Toyota Camry LE. We’re proud of her progress as she moves forward into her future!

Alfie

Alfie was in a position that many of our clients face — he had an older car that needed constant repair. Often he had to take the bus to work because his car was in the shop, and, eventually, it just didn’t make sense to spend more money on his 2001 Volvo station wagon. He had earned his master’s degree and graduated when the economy was sliding and was having trouble finding a job — especially one he could reach on a train or bus route. He not only had his own student loans to pay but also some for his kids, so he was under a lot of financial stress. After we got Alfie an affordable loan for a newer car, he got a job as a counselor that he could not have taken without a reliable car. We also connected Alfie with the AirCheck Texas Drive a Clean Machine Program that reduced the cost of his purchase by $3,000 when his old Volvo that failed emissions tests was taken off of the road permanently. The Camry he bought has 32% less emissions and a 31% better environmental impact score. On the Road Lending is proud to be doing its part to improve health and air quality by getting older polluting cars off the road!

Fortune

Fortune moved to the U.S. from Zimbabwe in 2016 with asylum status. At first he lived with his cousin, but, being a hard worker with a master’s degree, he soon had a full-time job and a place of his own. The missing piece to his new life was transportation. Getting a reliable car was impossible without a high-interest loan because he had no credit history.

Michelle

Michelle has been through some tough times. She had a difficult divorce that left her deep in debt and a job that required long hours seven days a week—without over time. Unable to keep going at that pace, Michelle and her son moved in with her mother, and she began to look for ways to rebuild.

Karimah

Karimah has six children, ages five to 18, goes to college part-time and works. Two of her children are also in college but don’t drive because she hasn’t had time to teach them. No wonder—she also has a business called S.H.E. Unique that provides beautician services to children for free. When we met Raul, he was taking the bus or ride-sharing to work. He completed a budget, saved for a down payment, and began working on improving his credit with one credit card. He purchases one budgeted item with the card each month and pays it off completely. With those accomplishments achieved, we were able to get Raul into a 2017 Toyota Corolla LE. “Financing a vehicle, improving my credit, and building better money habits will set me up for my life to come,” Raul says. “As the oldest I am looking toward attending law school, a first in my family. This opportunity with On the Road Lending is going to benefit the next phase of my life.”

Trey

Trey grew up in a home that he says taught him unacceptable behavior was acceptable. His mom died when he was only 15, and he went from being an honor-roll student to being a homeless dropout selling drugs to survive. He ended up in the Texas juvenile justice system and later prison. In 2011 he was sentenced to eight years in prison and eventually ended up in high security, removed from the general prison population and in seclusion 23 hours a day.

“It was at the end of that year in seclusion that I began to change my life,” Trey says. “I started taking college courses and learned to weld. From there, I was accepted into the prison entrepreneurship program. That program completely changed my life. I was given a special review in January of 2018 by the parole board and was released. I went to work six days later. Within a few weeks I had a driver’s license and a bank account, and within 30 days I had saved over $1,000.”

Trey now has a vision of success for himself—and it includes a loan for a reliable car through On the Road Lending!

“I want to be the father that my son deserves,” Trey says.

Update from Trey after paying off his car loan:

“I had a lot of doors shut in my face before On the Road Lending. I have an amazing story of how my car helped me. After I got out of prison in March of 2018, I was living in a halfway house at 635 and Coit, and my job was on Illinois and Westmoreland in Oak Cliff. I had to get up at 3:30 a.m. and ride a bicycle to the Forest Lane train to get to work by 6 a.m. At 6:30 p.m., it was the same battle back. I was locked in and just surviving.

When I got my Sonata through On the Road Lending, I was able to take a job with a construction company. Now I make $17 an hour. Having a vehicle made all of this possible. My credit score is now 715. After I paid off my car, I got a low-interest loan on another car from a dealer. I used the On the Road Lending approach—it’s an older car with low mileage.

Everything is coming together now. I have custody of my son, and we’ve moved from an apartment into a two-bedroom home that I’m fixing up. My son just got accepted to the DISD science and engineering magnet. He’s in driver’s ed, and when he gets his license, I’m going to give him my Sonata.”

Jalicia

Jalicia is a 30-year-old single mother who lost everything in Hurricane Harvey—and then lost a second car in Tropical Storm Gordon! After living in shelters in the Houston and Dallas areas, she was finally back in Port Arthur with an apartment, a car and a job. Then came Gordon on Labor Day weekend of 2018. Jalicia’s car was in the parking lot of her apartment complex and was totaled in the flood. When we met Raul, he was taking the bus or ride-sharing to work. He completed a budget, saved for a down payment, and began working on improving his credit with one credit card. He purchases one budgeted item with the card each month and pays it off completely. With those accomplishments achieved, we were able to get Raul into a 2017 Toyota Corolla LE. “Financing a vehicle, improving my credit, and building better money habits will set me up for my life to come,” Raul says. “As the oldest I am looking toward attending law school, a first in my family. This opportunity with On the Road Lending is going to benefit the next phase of my life.”

Kela

Kela is a divorced mother of two who was referred to us by Catholic Charities. She had a job with Bell Helicopter and a reliable car when tragedy struck. Within just a few months, she lost three close family members, including her mother, who was killed in a hit-and-run with an 18-wheeler near her home in New Mexico. When we met Raul, he was taking the bus or ride-sharing to work. He completed a budget, saved for a down payment, and began working on improving his credit with one credit card. He purchases one budgeted item with the card each month and pays it off completely. With those accomplishments achieved, we were able to get Raul into a 2017 Toyota Corolla LE. “Financing a vehicle, improving my credit, and building better money habits will set me up for my life to come,” Raul says. “As the oldest I am looking toward attending law school, a first in my family. This opportunity with On the Road Lending is going to benefit the next phase of my life.”

Carl

Carl is had provided for his family with his own lawn care and moving business. He took out an auto title loan on his truck to build his credit, but the truck broke down. When the truck was repossessed, it hurt his credit and sent his family into severe financial distress. He had to sell all of his lawn equipment just to pay his bills. With the help of Bridge Builders, a faith-based charitable organization, Carl got a job as a steelworker, but bought a cash car that was falling apart.

David

David remembers the days when his mother sold tacos every morning and tamales on Sundays to pay their bills. Some months their water would be shut off and others their phone would be disconnected. When he got to high school, he joined a gang, sold drugs and helped pay the bills. “I justified my actions with the excuse of having to help my mother,” David says. “I remember being embarrassed because my mother was referred to as the taco lady. I look back now and admire her tenacity and sacrifice.” David’s actions caught up with him, and he was incarcerated. “In prison I was delivered from my gang affiliation and started seeking Christ with all my heart,” David says. “I served as a translator for the church services and was elected as a peer educator for the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP).” After his release, David went to work for PEP. With help from On the Road Lending, he now has a reliable car, is building his credit, is sending his mother and father money to help them with their finances, and is learning to budget and plan for the future. “My goal is to start a nonprofit that will help at-risk youth gain direction into manhood,” he says.

Sierra

Siera is a 29-year-old who has been working full time and taking classes at Literacy Instruction for Texas to increase her earning power. Even though she had always had a job since she graduated from high school, she didn’t have a credit history because she hadn’t successfully paid off any loans. She also had some unpaid medical bills that were hurting her credit. Her older brother sold her his car for very little money, since she was only making $7 an hour at the time. Then she had a wreck, and the car was totaled. Like so many of our clients, one stroke of bad luck made everything start to unravel. When Siera found On the Road Lending, she was relying on her aunt and uncle to give her rides to her job at a hotel. If they weren’t available, she had to take Lyft, which was $30 each way. Now with an affordable loan and a reliable car, Siera can attend classes again. She’s also working with our financial coaches to pay her bills on time and build her credit. Update from Siera after paying off her car loan: “The car I bought through On the Road Lending has meant everything to me. I can get back and forth to work and go anywhere I want to go. I’m so grateful. I was able to take a better job at a hotel in Trophy Club, which is a 35-minute drive from my house, and I’m up for a supervisor position. Now that my car is paid off, I have new financial goals. I want to do a nonprofit event to encourage and motivate women who don’t feel like they can reach for their goals because they’re too afraid to stumble. I want them to know they just need to put on their big girl shoes and go for it. With help from On the Road Lending, that’s exactly what I did!”

Yasmin

Genesis Women’s Shelter referred Yasmin to us while she and her daughter, Yvette, were receiving help to escape domestic violence. One of our earliest clients, she became the second client to pay off her car note. This hard-working single mother has two degrees from the University of Mexico and is multi-lingual—as is her daughter. Today Yasmin has perfect credit and is enjoying having no car payment. In the near future though, she says that she plans to come back to On the Road Lending for a loan for a newer vehicle. Even though she could go to a conventional lender, she says she prefers to buy a car through us because she knows the important financial coaching services we provide will help her continue to improve her financial circumstances.

Felicia

For victims of family violence, having a car can be the key to escaping and starting a new life. Felicia was one of those victims of abuse who has grown into a strong survivor. Like so many of our clients, her abuser ruined her credit and kept her trapped in a relationship by controlling her physically, emotionally and financially. Our partner agency Safe Haven helped her grow stronger, and we provided her with the loan for a reliable car that has helped her make a new life for herself. Now Felicia has two jobs and has taken a refresher course in her field of study. “I have learned from my past relationships and situations and am now focused on what is best for me. I know I have to make smarter decisions and wiser choices. My goal now is to save money for my future. I’m working on purchasing a home!” she says.

Pam

Pam used to get up at 2:45 a.m. every workday. After having her breakfast, getting dressed, praying and meditating, she started walking to the bus stop at 3:45 to catch the 4:07 bus. She would wait at the uncovered stop, without a bench, in the searing summer heat, the freezing winter cold or the driving rain. Sometimes the bus was on time, and others it wasn’t. Once on board, the bus made several stops before Pam took her first train, which also was not always on time. Pam took the train downtown, where she often had to run to transfer to a second train. That train took her to Irving, the suburb where her job is. But the train didn’t exactly get her there. She had to walk 15 minutes in the dark to her job. The whole process took 2.5 hours—each way. The journey is only 20 minutes by car. What did Pam decide to do with all of her extra time after On the Road Lending helped her get a car? The first thing she said she was going to do was help others in need through her church. You can learn more about Pam here.

Sandra

Sandra found us through St. Luke’s Community Church. A single mother with a two-year –old and a 17-year old, she had a high-mileage older vehicle plagued with constant costly repairs. When she came to us, she no longer had a car, and her son was giving her rides from their home in Jubilee Park (in South Dallas) to her job in Plano. When she told us her story, she emphasized that she wanted to learn how to be more financially secure for her children. Like many of our clients, Sandra couldn’t believe we would take a chance on her and was afraid that our program was too good to be true. We worked through her fears by providing guidance and financial education and helped her select a new 2016 Toyota Corolla. Now Sandra is a firm believer in On the Road Lending. “It didn’t hit me until I got behind the wheels of the car,” she says. “I broke down and cried my eyes out just knowing I would be able to get to work on time and not lose my job. Having a car is peace of mind. Thank you, again!”

Carolyn

Carolyn had a high-mileage Mazda deemed unsafe by her mechanic—whom she saw far too often. With an unreliable car, getting to her job at an area hospital and raising her three children were constant struggles. After On the Road Lending got Carolyn into a reliable, fuel-efficient car, she had the time and energy to look at some new possibilities for her family. First, she completed her associate’s degree, and next she graduated from a training program to be a minister at Potter’s House. “Life is good,” she says. “On the Road Lending truly got us on the road to a better future.”

We have now helped Carolyn’s 19-year old daughter get a car. She has a great job at Amazon in the Inland Port area of Dallas, which has no mass transit. There would have been no way for her to have taken (or kept) this job without her own car.

Jim

Café Momentum recruited Jim from New York to work with its nonprofit program that provides paid culinary internships and life skills training for juvenile offenders to foster successful reentry into the community. Prior to moving to Texas, Jim had good credit and had saved for his move. Unfortunately he had to maintain the mortgage on his home in New York longer than expected. With his savings depleted, he depended on credit to pay expenses, which lowered his credit score. When his car was totaled in a severe hailstorm in Dallas, he found that he couldn’t get an affordable loan for a replacement vehicle. Jim and his wife, Araceli, have adopted 17 children in need over the last 23 years, and currently had six living at home. When we heard about Jim, he only had a few days left on the rental car his insurance company was providing. We have never moved so fast to help someone and were able to get Jim qualified and into his Honda Civic within three days! Jim has dedicated his life to giving back, and we’re proud we could keep him going.

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