WASHINGTON — The federal government has released millions of dollars to 27 community colleges across the country to boost training for new and current truck drivers as well as military veterans.
The $3.5 million in competitive grants awarded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant Program aims to increase the number of CDL holders who have received enhanced operator safety training, according to FMCSA, with a focus on helping current or former members of the military and their spouses transition to trucking careers.
Grant award winners received an average of $130,000.
“At FMCSA, our job is all about safety – that includes safety of the roadways and safety of our nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White in a news release.
“So, we are proud to make this funding available, and are committed to working with the awardees to put it to good use, making it easier for drivers to enter into and stay in the CMV industry.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the funding was part of the Biden administration’s Trucking Action Plan, created in 2021, as a way to meet demand for better-trained truck drivers and “to strengthen America’s supply chains.”
More than 50% of FMCSA’s annual budget provides funding for states to promote CMV safety, according to the agency, including through its CMVOST grant program, which was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. FMCSA also provides funding through other discretionary grant programs, such as the High Priority Grants Program and the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grant.
Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio, which received a $126,000 CMVOST grant, will use the money to recruit more students into its CDL program, according to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
“Training more commercial vehicle drivers helps meet local demand for skilled workers and equips Ohioans with the skills they need for careers in trucking and other industries,” Brown said in a statement. “With this investment in Clark State College’s Commercial Driver’s License program, we are expanding opportunities for Ohioans to get good-paying jobs.”
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